Instincts
by AnnTaylor87
Summary: We all know what befell Scott's pack through the years. But what about others? What if Scott's family wasn't so human until he was bitten? And more importantly, after? Everyone in Beacon Hills has his story and nobody hides from supernatural. Least of all Scott's sister. Or aunt always choosing by instincts. Leading her to... maniacs. First chapter's only summary, It'll be better.
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE:** _As the end of this chapter states, this is but a gritty prelude introducing the main character, Danielle, and her history that is needed to know, but I had no intention to write it as the part of the classical story in "real time", which will start with the next chapter. It'd be too long, I never wanted to explore her early life in depth, but it's also too much for slow unravealing between lines. I simply needed to establish her character and her family and wanted to find out, whether you'll be interested in the story about such person. Slow story, because I am a very slow writer, and not really following the plot of the show. Partly because if it's the original plot, it will be through the eyes of Danielle. And Danielle isn't just another new student dealing with school, Scott and Stiles or runaway in her early 20s clashing with Hales like it's very common here. I watched the show already at University and I was always much more interested in the "adult world" that they didn't explore much (underestably, TEEN Wolf). And I was utterly fascinated by Eichen House and psychiatrists for supernatural beings. And also tired of all teen OCs when I want to read some fanfiction. Nothing wrong with them, only I'm not teen and I also want some suitable self-insert. So I decided to finally put my idea into the words. The general "worldbuilding idea" basically is, that the Teen Wolf world is the same universe as The Vampire Diaries, Midnight, Texas, it's possible to put anything in there, really, sometimes me and my friend play with putting there The Order or The Grimm, even Twilight and Preacher once. You can take it as the narrator summarizing the life of Danielle before this story and hinting what can come._

_Another thing is, this story won't start in season one, despite the suggestion, I didn't like the first two seasons. And yes, there will be more OC's, but only two important (the two mentioned children are more background than characters). And there will be a relationship on page, hopefully. Some day once I write more._

* * *

Beacon Hills had never been an ordinary town. A lot of citizens will still insist and wonder very much if someone asks where the closest pack lives or what's the way to the monster nuthouse, but they were always there. Like McCall family. Although they weren't always called McCall. Definitely not at times when a mexican witch settled in the town with her american husband and their daughter Melissa. Then she had another one, Danielle. And once they found their place in the world and her husband his place under the ground, she left to enjoy her retirement back to Mexico, where she and her brother sheriff who never left Mexico reconstructed old hacineda after the ancestors. The magical relay should pass to her daughters. To guard magic, guard knowledge, keep their family coven alive. Small, but powerful one after years of passing the powers through generations. At least for those who weren't afraid to seize it. And what she started to proclaim after her husband's death, to charm someone rich, because what are men good for if not money. Of course she loved her husband at their time and liked then. She only had the opinion, that rich man is always better than poor one.

Only Melissa refused such role from the beginning. Perhaps not to find rich husband, whether she did or not. Or, she didn't, but she wouldn't be against him. The supernatural one. She had no big interest in secret supernatural world and then, because of some reason she never told her sister, refused to practice magic at all. Whereas Danielle jumped after the family heritage and promised herself to push it further than former generations whose hands held the old family grimoire protected against everyone who wasn't woman of her blood, that she holds now. She loves magic. There is entirely differend kind of treating the body in the art of "potions" and concotions having properties the ordinary human can't imagine because of her inherited gift, because the ordinary human can brew a tea of it at most. Entirely different kind than Melissa chose with nurse school. But she explores the real spells even more heatedly. To evoke natural forces, wield the energy and play with blood is something not everyone can just do, even if they were born with necessary preconditions. And nobody born without them can do it without payment. Moreover, she'd never understood her sister's effort to stay away from everything extraordinary in Beacon Hills. Why did she close her mind to the existence of beasts. Why she never blew misty powder into someone's eyes. Why did she pretend not to feel telluric currents permeating like veins through the ground under their feet. Or why did she marry the awful Rafael McCall.

Danielle, unlike Melissa, left California for some time. True, her way to the east coast wasn't quite led by her pursuit to taste a new city, nor explore another unlisted corner of the world, more very mundane university studies. The fact that she found a vampire community there was only pleasant variegation. But when she returned home, as a fresh psychiatrist, she found an assiduous law enforcement agent by Melissa's side. Danielle found him damn unattractive, damn unhumorous, damn narrow-minded and so damn uninteresting, and not only because she herself had fun with a vampire with basically opposite merits. Of course she knew it's not worth it to tell Melissa any of it. They both are stubborn. They both refuse any relationship advice from each other. Moreover, Mellisa was an adult, older, able to judge her own actions. She rather concetrated on her career she decided at the beginning of her studies. It was again something not everyone knew. Well, everyone in town knows the infamous Eichen House, psychiatric institute on the outskirts of Beacon Hills. Only almost nobody suspected the existence of it's classified wing, where no common schizofrenics, pyschopaths or people too dangerous for others or themselves to roam freely were stationed, but supernatural beings too dangerous or too uncontrollable. Danielle was fascinated by this place. She considered it huge source of informations and great opportunity to combine natural with supernatural. It wasn't hard at all to get the job. This wing was always understaffed by it's nature, they couldn't really send an ad into the papers and it wasn't completely safe, the staff there were humans after all. That's why Danielle wasn't afraid, quite the opposite. She was learning to care about herself since childhood. She perhaps can't fight much… at all, but she knows all sorts of ways of protective magical intervention, it was written or filled in by her in her inherited grimoire what to expect from wild beasts, and she was ready to verify in practice what is effective against what beast if needed. She didn't need to use it seriously yet so didn't have any reason to wave in her confidence as many others too certain in their abilities. On top of that, it connected her with Melissa again. Even tough they were increasingly different, even tough Melissa gave up what Danielle delved into. They both decided to care for others and prepare the unexpected future.

One of the big differences appeared soon. Melissa became pregnant and gave birth to twins. Who had something of her and nothing at all of their father. And that was only the begining. Not immediately. Little Scott was only an average asthmatic child at first and Danielle expected little Jenna to manifest herself as a next witch in time. Perhaps Melissa expected that too, girls of their lineage were born like this for generations, at least most of them, never the boys. It's not impossible for a man to be born with magical abilities, it simply didn't happen in their family. And Melissa expected probably even more that she can quench such inclination like she did to herself. Although she'd never say such expectations aloud. She never told Rafael this little family secret and made her sister promise not to tell herself. To Rafael or the children. She probably hoped it will never come out. Easier human life she said.

Jaenna even didn't manifest "witchy" talent anyway. Or at least not how it's supposed to happen for a witch. And stomped on Melissa's hopes in the end, because… different little things started to happen around her here and there, only… nobody was sure what did it mean. Or where did it come from, since there were only witches and sorry excuse for human being as her father without any talent whatsoever before her. Provided it wasn't otherwise and her father wasn't very talented. Danielle thought about it sometimes. Mainly when she tried to convince herself her sister can't have such terrible taste in men. Of course, she didn't think Melissa would admit such black stain on her character. Or rather black hole of cheating.

Although Rafael was perhaps a black hole himself. Black hole the size of the Sun that, to Danielle's and even Melissa's relief, moved out of Beacon Hills. After his intoxicated self shoved Scott down the stairs, while Scott didn't even realize what's happening at his age and didn't provoke him at all. Danielle didn't remember Melissa ever raging as much as that night. Her fury possessed her enough that she really and magically punched him. Hard. He luckily didn't notice the unusual strength or anything else in his state, except the fact his wife kicked him out of the house, but her rage was unstoppable. Danielle was glad. Rafael needed to be thrown down the stairs himself in her opinion and when Melissa finally kicked him out, she let him know not to show there again. Nothing is worth the life with an alcoholic. Sadly, Rafael pulled out the last card and basically made Melissa to accept a deal about children. Scott stayed with mother, Rafael got custody of Jenna and no legal battle backed by his connections happened. Melissa was still too afraid to tell the truth and convinced Jenna will lose the signs of her power without support and teaching, it actually happens. And Scott needed her with his medical issues she didn't believe Rafael can manage. Maybe it was supposed to work and maybe they promised visitations and contact, but… this was but a first of disasters setting things nobody expected in motion. Before Jenna came back home, ten years have passed.

During that time, Danielle caught up with her sister in the personal life as well as with the job in medical field. That's when the second disaster happened.

Melissa decided to cope with the failure of her family by fierce embracing of normal life and raising Scott. Who wasn't supposed to grow up into nothing more than an ordinary boy. Danielle met local alpha. Which wasn't supposed to grow up into nothing extraordinary. Stupid love at first sight is just a part of fairy tales and this definitely wasn't any fairy tale. But what happened between them and what connected them so suddenly sourced from wholly non fairytale and wholly uncontrollable wolfe instincts. And the instincts of the same wild nature in her. And then it flung her out to the base where Melissa awaited.

Danielle never became part of Deucalion's pack. She liked much more her role of an observer and advisor. She knew she's not an emissary, that's not a role for witches. Witches are to care for their own families and covens and only if they don't sell themselves to the darkness, they sometimes help to protect the supernatural community. She did exactly that in Eichen House. And that's why she still studied the supernatural world. But she loved to show off whenever she could and grasped every opportunity to grow her collection of writings and records. To grow her grimoire, use her power and understand how the underlying world works. She partly hoped to find a way to actually contribute to something, because the work in Eichen House disillusioned her quickly. More than an institution, at least regarding the classified wing, it was a prison bulging with all means keeping uncontrollable creatures in their cells and letting the world forget them. She couldn't say she cared so much about her particular patiens or their fates, despite the unsatisfactory conditions in the institute, some of them actually were frantic murderers, unable to turn back or unable to live among humans after all. But this thought always gnawed at her mind, that she herself is a witch, not human like other doctors and medical staff, and if she gets out of hand some day, she could end up there. Behind the glass and wall full of pure iron tying wtiches as other beasts are tied by mountain ash, wolfsbane, nightshade and such, removed without hope for real help. She dreaded such fate. She had to avoid it. Perfectly handle what's in her. Be the one who knows. Who understands. Who can.

And she was also madly in love, consumed by her connection with Deucalion, as he was later known, and she liked to be the parter of a powerful alpha. This alpha. It meant something in certain point of view. Not human, she only enjoyed it quite humanly. Both of them. For some time.

Before the incident. Gerard Argent. Hunter. Sorry excuse for human being from completely different reason than jerk agent McCall. He could kill Deucalion as most of his betrayed pack, but he blinded him instead. And made him totally lose his mind. Deucalion killed the rest of his pack himself and if he didn't leave the town without any thought about Danielle, she'd run. She didn't think he'd kill her too. Their relationship based outside human limits doesn't allow him to deliberately and severly hurt her, no matter how much he wants it. Even she isn't able to kill him, even if he'd try to rip out her throat. She only felt it at first, then she discovered what does it mean. The true mates. A lot of emotions if it works out, a lot of troubles if it doesn't. And it won't end in both cases, they won't find another as strong ever again and it will protect them both still. Make them not let any physical harm come to them… from each other. But she wasn't sure what her pregnancy could change.

She named him Matthew and Decualion didn't know about him. He simply disappeard. Her pregnancy wasn't very easy. It was a child of very powerful heritage, it had effects on her, like Danielle sometimes suddenly dug claws into the table or her eyes shone very "unwitchy". It disappeared after the birth though. Luckily, few years remained until next signs that Mattew will grow into a werewolf and until his first change. She was ready to manage it alone. Without the father. She had to, he became dangerous killer and the farther from his son, the better. It definitely was better. Especially with another even more infamous attack of Argent family. The one when the house of another pack, Hale pack, burned down with most of the pack except four children and their uncle. Beacon Hills was overruled by hunters.

That's the time Danielle left again under the pretext of special practice out of town, even with Matt. Melissa could pretend none of this affected her, it truly didn't and she was safe with Scott. Danielle didn't feel so safe, not with little born werewolf. Or she just needed to run away for a while. To Mexico to her mother and then back to the east coast. She diceded there's no reason anymore to follow the old rules. It's clear what they lead to. Emissary, psychiatrist, witch, whatever name they want to use for her, she wanted to prevent anything like this happening again. Especially to Matt. She no longer searched for information only to satisfy her own curiosity and secure her control, but for real help whenever it'll be needed. Not only with wild beasts but with hunters too. Next to her growing grimoire, she pulled out a competition with hunter's bestiary. And… it's handy to have hundreds of years old practitioners, old friends from the times of studies.

At that time, it was turn for Aurora. No, this wasn't another deep whirlwind, it wasn't even a proper relationship. Remembrance of the past maybe. He didn't know about Aurora too. Danielle didn't want him to, especially, since… was she simply unlucky or is it her fate to wander around maniacs? He didn't lose his mind, only self-control. It allegedly wasn't the first time, this part of the States has enough problems of its own, enough skrimishes among families and old enemies and betrayal isn't unknown word too. And vampires have their own ways to unexpectedly "go savage". Danielle wasn't about to wait whether he overcomes it or drags her into a bloody mess. The less their unborn daughter. At least he had no reason to think there's possibility for her to exist. It's not common for vampires to have a child at all, impossible almost. Witches must be an exemption. A new chapter for her collection.

And a new chapter for Beacon Hills, as she hoped. Beacon Hills from where all the Argents, surviving Hales and all the chaos except the permanent residents of the classified wing disappeared during her travels through myths among vampires, culebras, jaguars, Mexico, New York, New Orleans and central Virginia. A promise of new start. Of safety. Melissa confirmed nothing happened for a long time there and everything was back to normal. That's why Danielle came back home. She loved Beacon Hills and this was supposed to be a new chapter allowing her continue in a true story after gritty prelude. The story with theme she found long ago at the university and didn't want to let it go.

So she barely unpacked, Scott was bitten by a werewolf, Peter Hale woke up from a coma, was killed and revived, Chris Argent moved in, Jenna came back and the whole third disaster arrived.


	2. Chapter 2

_**NOTE: **So I decided to start with season 3. I don't promise to follow the whole plot since season 3 and when I do, I don't promise following exactly the same scenes as in the show. I have some main points I want to get to and there probably are plots I don't want to explore with Danielle. And mainly, there is some plan for the post-show part, so I really don't need to go through 50 boring chapters to get there. Simply, the liberties will be big. _

_Don't know when there will be another chapter, but I simply had to publish this one now – I felt like in Beacon Hills myself today. I was about to go to dentist, but it rained and i tried to find any umbrella. I found werewolf claws, fur, horns, my brother's old smelly sports equipment and I even searched our hundreds of years old stone basement ideal for detaining a wild beast, I found all this "supernatural crap", but no effing umbrella!_

_And if you notice ,, "quotation marks instead of " ", ignore it, it's correct in Czech and it happens I sometimes forget to change it during translation._

* * *

Danielle had doubts for the long time, whether it was good idea to go back to Beacon Hills. Originally, it sounded as such. She wanted go back. She wanted peace. But… Melissa's approach of refusing to reveal anything about the existence of other than the ordinary world to Scott and her oversight of Scott living it firsthand, resulted in him dealing with his transformation alone. Well, with Stiles Stilinski, which wasn't so helpful. Danielle had no time to care about much else with the care about Matt and Aurora and her job in Eichen House where a new head doctor arrived into the classified wing – he wasn't really thrilled by her "state" and her opinions. So till she decided to break the promise to Melissa about her silence, hunters, Hales, kanima, teenagers in love, dead, revived started to run around her and she realized she has to have her eyes even more open if she means the protection of those who need it seriously.

At least Scott's sister Jenna arrived only after the worst events. Melissa and Scott tried to leave her out of everything too, not to tell her anything to Danielle's frustration, not knowing she was dragged into the supernatural long ago since her powers haven't disappeared as Melissa had hoped and that was one reason why she decided to leave her father. Allegedly. Moreover, her ten years long separation from half of the family meant substantial alienation and she wasn't keen on start a new semester on Beacon Hills High. She had negative new friends. Danielle argued about it with Melissa again. She was happy the last member of her family disowned Rafael McCall and Jenna felt more at ease while talking to her than to her own mother who, in her own words, gave her up. Thus Danielle found out Jenna knew what Scott is, where did she came from, werewolves and magic exist. Therefore, she insisted that Melissa gives up on all secrets and treats her children openly, she saw what happens if they stumble in the dark, while Melissa insisted she's basically new in all this – Danielle found this hypocritical and purpose-built, and she can't force Jenna to find a way to her – which was true.

But where Danielle was concerned, she gave Jenna the option to come whenever, to learn whatever she feels she wants as well as Scott once he understood she's experienced with werewolves and not easily surprised. If the endless services in Eichen House don't swallow her first. Again, they were understaffed. So even this morning, she had to go to work despite she served yesterday till late evening. Thus the need to dispatch Matt to school, Aurora to daycare, both safe so far since none of them showed any dangerous signs yet, go back home for her equipment and go to work. It'd be so easy. Without the confirmation how the state of peace can't exist without the state of war.  
Eyes open.

"Good morning, doc."  
"Doctor Deaton, you are here, phew. Lynx needs help immediately."  
Danielle rushed into the consulting room of the veterinary Deaton and put a heavy crate with her huge Maine coon on the table. She named her Lynx after the mythical wild "secret keeper" cat – or secret revelaer, depends on what culture do you ask. And what cat. This particular Lynx didn't reveal anything. Deaton knew her very well since Danielle acquired her, she usually was very lazy huge ball of fur, extremely picky queen who could be provoked only by touching her favorite backrest on the couch or new decoration too ugly for her patience. Because she's a cat therefore the whole house is hers. Otherwise, she couldn't be bothered to move, even if Aurora decided to nibble her tail. Aurora was hers too, after all. Well, to this morning.  
"What happened?"  
Danielle opened the crate and pulled Lynx out with Deaton's help. It was clear on the first sight, her fur was matted with blood and she's not moving. She seemed more like a tattered and crumpled fur coat.  
"She went crazy, I don't know, she's all tattered like after a fight, but she was locked at home alone!"  
Deaton, experienced veterinary who employed Danielle's nephew Scott and himself used to be an emissary as Danielle knew, looked at the cat and than at Danielle.  
"Something provoked her?"  
"Not as far as I know. Not even magic, she's used to it for years in our house."  
"So you too. I look at her, do you have a moment?"  
Danielle nodded. Of course she had a moment to help to find out all Lynx's injuries.  
Most of them were superficial, the worst was her paw. If there hadn't been any attacker, she herself bit through to the bone. Which saved her on the other hand – she lost a lot of blood and because of her lazy lying around and terrible shape she wasn't used to such adrenaline rush that made her to do this, so she dropped off quickly. Before she could hurt herself more.

"What did you mean me too?" Danielle asked once Lynx was secured on the surgical table and Deaton prepared his tools.  
"Go look back," he nodded to the door to the room where animals after medical procedures usually recovered, put on new gloves and quickly prepared an infusion. He also knows what Danielle is and he's glad to have someone to consulte unusual problems. He worked as a druid and emissary longer than her as a witch and psychiatrist, he surely had more practical experiences, but he'd be foolish not to utilize a witch with her own collection of theory.  
So Danielle opened the door and stopped in shock after two steps.  
"Oh my g..."  
All the cages lined around the walls were… silent. Full of blood and fur mix similar to Lynx. But no cat in there survived. Danielle immediately backed out.  
"They too… by themselves?"  
"Something had to make them go crazy. Some big rush only animals felt. Or… did you notice anything strange?"  
Danielle had to shake her head.  
"An animal does this if terrified to death. Literally to death. It rather commits suicide because it's afraid so much of what it feels, or it starts to attack itself, if it can't run away. But on this scale… Something had to appear in Beacon Hills. You were lucky, I think Lynx will survive. She needs an operation but it's not so serious. You can leave us with it, nurse should come at any moment. She won't lose her paw. But do something for me."  
"Of course. If she could feel it despite our house is sealed against-" but before Danielle finished, her phone rang. Her sister.

"Melissa, sorry, I don't have time at all, I'm at vet with the cat and I have to… wait, slower, what? … And how shall I help you get a wer… of course he doesn't need an operation, he's a werewolf! Can you… find him then, if it's his werewolf! Mel… no, I don't know, I'm psychiatrist, not a surgeon! And-sorry, I got second call, yeah, try it!"

Danielle hung up in frustration and looked up who tried to chase her next. Which was even more uncomfortable than plead for help with smuggling a werewolf out of hospital before a surgeon tries to stitch up his non-existent wound and the one who caused this non-existent wound tries to finish him.  
"Good morning doctor Fenris, I know I'm late, I'm on my way, only-"  
"Cut the excuses for later, there's emergency. Hayes commited suicide, he tried to rip off his own heart, I'm waiting for you, twenty minutes!" and he hung up.

Danielle was sure at that moment, that whatever the "something" appearing in Beacon Hills is, she doesn't want to meet it. Animals commiting suicide, patients commiting suicide, werewolf Isaac Lahey transported into the hospital with some severly wounded girl, hopefully not commiting suicide? It almost sounded like a power eruption, but with what source?  
"I find what I can."

After she finally arrived to Eichen House, she parked her car on her usual spot, registered her entry, run through several security doors where she can go because of her employee chip of the classified wing, went to her office shared with another colleague and changed her clothes. She knew she could use a shower, because the smell of Lynx and her blood had to cling to her and some patients wouldn't appreciate it, but another delay wouldn't be appreciated by doctor Fenris. So she wanted immediatelly go to the Hayes cell before he'll call her again, even more angry. But then she returned to her desk and took out an injection pen. That wasn't a part of her formal equpiment. She alone prepared the solution of wolfsbane and nightshade inside, strong enough to slow down an attack of wild beast, but not so rich to poison it. She used to have it in the pocket of her medical coat at the begining of her pracitce before she put it away to the drawer. In fact, she'd never needed it and she'd never felt so nervous to take it out again. But now something able to sneak through the safety locks and ash panelling is clearly around. A small precaution will do no harm.

"Finally you are here," doctor Fenris greeted her after she joined him and several orderlies by the opened cell door. She smelled blood from there. Hayes still stayed inside.  
"I'm sorry, I rushed as fast as I could. I had to go to the vet. And," she added when she saw Fenris wants to chasten her again that her reasons aren't his concern, "I think it's related to it."  
"Well, speak then. I wanted your report about Hayes' behaviour in the last days anyway, you are also the last doctor who checked on him last evening. The night shift didn't go to his cell at all."  
"His behavior was the same the last days as the days before, no change. Nor him, medication or food."

Thirty two years old Hayes was attacked by wendigo three years ago and become one himself. As always when the result isn't death. Since then, he wasn't able to control himself with the slightest irritation. He was stationed in Eichen House after he attacked his wife shortly after his transformation and almost killed another detained man after his arrest. He even didn't care about control. He used to be choleric before the transformation, but generally good person, and what the wendigo made him to do pushed him over the edge. He was convinced he belongs to straitjacket. But never showed any evidence of suicidal thoughts.

"We'll see, we must go for blood and stomach contents analysis. And I also sent for the footage from last evening."  
Which won't tell them any more than whether some unauthorized person roamed the corridors, the corridors were the only place they could afford security cameras. Moreover, Danielle suspected no person there.  
"And now speak, how is it connected to the vet?"  
"May I see him first?"

Before she answered, Danielle squeezed through into his cell. The bed was messy and on it's place only thanks to legs recessed into the floor. But walls bore traces of claws with darkening bloody smudges. Hayes lay in the corner, his clothes all bloody and tattered, his hands full of gashes and his chest in shreds. One of his hands stayed burried inside and clutched his heart over the ribs. His teeth were bared, as if he didn't realized till the last moment he didn't fight an enemy but himself, and eyes wide open. It was ghastly.

"He clearly did it himself. There's blood and tissue behind his nails. The injuries correspond with wendigo claws. Scratches on the walls too. The locks weren't damaged, so nothing capable of doing this for him got here – and he thrust the hand into himself voluntarily most of all. What in the world makes somebody do this? I've never seen this, my first thought was someone gave him drugs."  
"I'm afraid not, doctor. I found my cat in similar state this morning. She attacked herself. She survived, so I went to the vet and it turned out it's not only my cat. Something here crazed animals the same as Hayes."  
Doctor Fenris studied Danielle for a while. He'd like a simple sabotage much more. Murder. Not another supernatural madness to deal with. He knew very well what are supernatural creatures able to do and saw every day what it may lead to. He didn't like it.  
"Do you know what it is?"  
"No. I'm about to find out."  
"Good. You move mister Hayes," he commanded the orderlies. He took the samples for analysis already before Danielle arrived. „I don't think his wife wants to hear about him ever again, but I have to contact her. You make sure about increasing supervision over all the patients. Prepare enough sedatives for the event of this happening again. And if your qualification is to contribute, find out, what the hell ramps here. I won't test our ability to survive siege from inside."

Danielle did as she was told. Information about mister Hayes' deeds spread quickly, so there was no need to urge for higher alertness. Only she wasn't succesfull with the second part of her task. Of course she knew since her talk with Deaton what caused this madness in general, but how to find out who or what in particular? If some power or someone unusually powerful arrived to Beacon Hills, was she to knock door to door and ask about new neighbours and savage pets? Not even all her records about wendigo were useful, Hayes wasn't the only influenced "animal". The last possibility remained. Take the need to be on one ship with Melissa, Jenna, Scott and his bizarre pack into the practice and find out what did they notice. As soon as they are out of school and she out of this nuthouse.

She had no idea they'll get the answers much sooner.

The girl they brought in with Isaac Lahey disappeared and Melissa eventually get help from Scott and Derek Hale, the alpha of Isaac's pack. Because another suicidal animal attack broke when flock of crows flew against Beacon Hills High, the classes ended sooner. And Scott and Derek met something new, something possibly explaining part of all the weirdness, in the hospital after that. Two alphas, twins, comming for Isaac. And when Scott and then Derek stood to them, they merged into one giant werewolf. Scott thought how happy he is his own twin isn't a werewolf at that moment.  
So it was clear Isaac was someone's target and even though they managed to save him and get out of the hospital, even though his injuries sending him there in the first place disappeared as usual, he still didn't heal or mainly wake up. So they and Stiles Stilinski took him to the old Hale's house where they could find something to help him according to Derek. Theoretically. Nothing changed practically.

"Mhm, yep, that clearly helped him a lot," Stiles stated when Isaac still didn't even move. He was nervous. He was searching for informations about strange behaviour of wild animals for a big part of the night and the whole morning, because a deer run into a car of his classmate Lydia the day before and this crow air raid just strenghtened his feeling that things start to get out of their hands again.  
"Who knows what the alpahs jabed him with. He needs to get it out of his system. He needs time."  
"And do we have time at all? The whole town is starting to go crazy and some transformer alpha tries to kill Isaac, doesn't sound like enough time."  
Derek was irritated by Stiles' nagging.  
"I do what I can."  
"So what about call someone who understands all this? Who could explain the looning? And who could get it out of his system?" he asked with deliberate emphasis on the last words.  
"The explanation about the animals isn't so complicated," Peter Hale joined the discussion. As for now, he inclined more to the side of 'family cooperation' instead of 'kill anyone on the way' and he stayed with his nephew. He didn't have much other options. Numbers of his family declined again.  
"And on top of it, I won't drag her into this," Scott seconded.  
"Nothing helped him so far. Danny said to call anytime any supernatural problem arises and knock-outed werewolf, suicide attack from the woods and morphing alpha is something that I don't know what about you, but I'd call it supernatural problem!"  
"Aunt Danny said to me to call if I have a problem."  
"From the general essence of supernatural problem roughly around this county we can conclude, it's your problem too."  
"Why should we call his aunt?" Peter asked.  
"Medicine is obviously useless for Isaac and Derek's attempt has stunning results, so we need someone who understands werewolves and things where science doesn't work. And honestly, I still trust her much more than both of you combined anyway."  
"Just because she prentended not to know you are the one eatig out her fridge when she babysat us years ago," Scott muttered. He underestood Stiles' arguments, but he wasn't sure whom to drag into this "supernatural problem". Whatever it is, no doubts it's dangerous. Life threatening. Danny is a witch, no werewolf with sharp claws.  
"See? She's benevolent and nice. I just call her. I wouldn't have had to chase you with chains around the woods back then if we knew about her from the beginning. Lesson. Try everything. Now give me your phone, I don't have her number."

In fact, Stiles wasn't sure Danny helps. It was true with the fridge. And that they should trust her from the beginning too. He was flabbergasted to find out she's a witch and works every day with everything he was slowly and painfully discovering by himself. He knows her… ages, since he become friends with Scott, but never noticed. So he overwhelmed her by questions and very quickly got used to the fact, that the border of impossible significantly moved again. He just had no clue how far her abilities reach. But the truth also was, he'd much rather have her here than Derek and Peter. He couldn't trust them at all, not after everything since Scott's bite. On top of it, Isaac truly wasn't waking up. His worst injuries closed, but he wasn't healing completely. He needed help.

Danielle wasn't happy about the prospect of going into the old Hale's house. It's fate, or rather the unforgetable massacre, was forever connected to the reason of her last run from Beacon Hills. And regarding Peter Hale, even if she didn't know anything else, his violent changing of Scott was enough for hostility. And she knew. His killing for instance. On the other hand, she needed to find more. Before somebondy decides to follow mister Hayes. And she also didn't forget her resolution. Isaac needed to heal from the alpha attack. The supernatural community of this town asked for protection.

At the Hale's house, she found what Stiles described to her. Him and Scott, unconscious Isaac Lahey, suspiciously looking Derek Hale and openly suspicious Peter Hale.  
"I smell electricity, blood and cat. This shall heal Isaac?"  
"Actually, electricity, blood, cat, death and wendigo. It seems we all had busy day today. So what about cutting that crap, hm? Scott, help me please, Stiles told me you don't know what did they loaded him with, but we will try to make him process or expel it. Give me what I say from my bag."  
Danielle tried to ignore Peter. She didn't know what electricity did he smell from her, perhaps the magic in her veins, but she didn't need his permission in either case. And if he should dislike her, so be it, she wasn't here because of him. If she remembered, they met for the first time, they didn't know each other until now, she only read part of his file from hospital even though she wasn't supposed to get it – she only needed to keep the tables about her town. And they could have very well stayed there.  
"What happened with cat? Like Lynx?"  
"Wait, wait, cat is a cat, but what the hell is wendigo?" Stiles cut in.

Danielle uttered a sigh and bend over Isaac. She looked at his eyes, his veins and then she rolled up his sleeve. Hales watched her closely. Derek was ready to intervene whenever he disliked her actions.  
"Scott, I need the injection for intravenous drugs and then find a vials with clear and green solutions in the leather case. And no, not you, please," Danielle stopped Derek when he wanted to push Scott aside and take her bag. Probably to check what was she to give him.  
"It's sealed agains everyone who aren't my blood relatives, it burns others. Relax. He doesn't look poisoned, if it was supposed to kill him, he'd be already dead. I think he needs just a little kick in and wakes up. It's not dangerous."  
Derek withdrew his hand, although she didn't convince him fully.  
"And yeah, Lynx was struck by this suicidal thing too, but she survived. And wendigo is cannibalistic spirit taking over a person injured by other wendigo. They found one killing himself in a panic attack or something in the morning, like the animals, Stiles. We still don't know why."  
"For goodness' sake, of course because the newcomers with unpleasantly big power," Peter stated.  
"There were two alphas, twins, after Isaac in hospital. I couldn't take them down."  
"Such surge of terror needs more than just twins, Scott, especially if it's felt through all our security steps," Danielle said and measured the liquid from both vials into the injection Scott handed her. Then she injected it into Isaac's forearm.  
"There is more. Isaac and Peter tried to find our missing betas for a time now already and now it seemes it has something in common with them. And they are here. A whole pack of alphas. Each of them is extremely strong, together they are almost invincible. Moreover, nobody really knows anything about them, only some Decaulion leads them."

Danielle dropped the now empty injection on the ground after Derek's words. She quickly grabbed it, but she couldn't hide her heart missing a beat and then beating considerably faster.  
Deucalion.  
He wasn't using this name before, but she knew it as his nickname.  
Now leads a pack that tried to kill Isaac.  
Pack the animals in the neighbourhood dread.  
Deucalion.  
From whom she didn't run only because he left the town first.  
From whom she hides a child.  
He's back.  
And she didn't have a clue.

"You all right?" Scott asked. He didn't miss her heart suddenly racing. And he discerned it's because of fear. Danielle shook her head.  
"Pack of alphas? Damn. That doesn't sound all right. I need to upgrade some of my tricks and now, I need to go, there's still emergency, Isaac will be shipshape, few minutes at most. He breathes better now."  
Then she stood up and grabbed her bag with her equipment.  
"A moment. What the thell do you know about him?!" Peter growled. He didn't let himself be fooled. He realized she reacted only to the name. And when Danielle took a step to the door, she felt him strongly seize her arm.

She wasn't about to explain anything. Certainly not to him. She put her other hand in her pocket in a flash and pulled out a pen she didn't return to her office. It was an instinct. Charge first, ask later. You don't have claws, teeth, tail or thick skin, stab first, fast and for certain. Her mother made it clear and repeated it since her childhood. It was even the rule number one in Eichen House. The safety of the personell is uppermost. Defuse, then ask what's wrong. Some orderlies loved this rule. Therefore, she stabbed Peter's hand with the pen without consideration. He immediatelly let her go and snarled. In the next second, once the special solution entered his bloodstream, he leaned on the table. The substance overpowered his senses and inflamed his whole body. Then his knees buckled.

"Don't try this ever again!"

Derek set off against her at that moment, but Scott stood between them. Luckily, before they pulled out their claws, weak "Fuck" sounded from the place where Isaac was lying. Danielle took the moment where the attention of all shifted to him and the moment Peter will need to collect himself, and quickly headed for her car.

Deucalion. Back in the town. Probably even more dangerous than ever.  
She'll need more than just sedatives.


	3. Chapter 3

_**NOTE: **As I promised, I will explore the OCs a lot and now the second one, Jenna, has her role too._

* * *

"Thanks for comming. Nice car."  
Danny stepped back from her own car when the second one arrived to the road in front of the big "Welcome in Beacon Hills" sign. Next to the black steady Mitsubishi Outlander where child car seats and everything to survive "are we there yet" drive, a silver Chevrolet Camaro stopped. Jenna didn't park it at home. She wasn't ready for the question where she'd taken the money. The answer "from father" wouldn't be sufficient.  
"I've never seen you to do any magic yet, I couldn't miss it. Although I think it's probably late."  
"I know. They already told me who got here, but better later than never. I'll know if something worse comes at least."  
"Ok, so what do you want me to do? I'd do it quickly, I don't like us being so exposed."  
"I don't know whether it works with you, but you were born among witches, it's worth a try. Stand here next to me and imagine the borders of the town. Imagine you overlooking them, inch by inch. Pulling a curtain on them. And repeat after me."  
Danielle made few steps forward to the sing announcing the border of Beacon Hills. Jenna did the same. Then she turned her hands with palms out.  
"Revelare, revelabit, vigilate."  
Jenna shrugged and joined her. This wasn't the kind of magic she'd ever used. If it works though…  
"Revelare, revelabit, vigilate."  
Jenna noticed after a while the tips of her fingers tingling. The air in front of them stirred for a moment. As if it was water where someone threw a stone causing small and then bigger and bigger circles running on and on over the invisible surface to both sides.  
"Revelare, revelabit, vigilate."

"Wow, that was pretty Harry Potter stuff."  
Danny smiled and turned back to the cars. "The words aren't so important. Only if it's some very difficult thing like this, they help to concentrate. In fact, it's basically nothing more than chanting. Chanting can get you into trance. This is similar to it, by pronouncing the words, you simply make yourself concentrate on their meaning and thus the spell itself. And if it works a bit like self-hypnosis, it loosens the conscious sluices. That's why you don't have to say anything in most cases, if you are experienced. It's not the words. Scott can repeat it the whole day and don't move a feather."  
"But it sounded Latin. Like Harry Potter."  
"A lot of spells originated in Europe. Depeds who left them for us. Who used Latin, left Latin formulas. My grimoire is full of references to Central America. And hey, Harry Potter's cool."  
Jenna smiled too. She couldn't imagine doing this with her mother even if she wouldn't refuse magic. This was easier. Danny was still family, but she didn't act like that, not authoritatively. And mainly… she didn't have to overcome any feelings about pretty crappy custody deal.  
"Can't they notice?"  
She understood they just put up some sort of tread alarm. It's supposed to alert Danny anytime someone supernatural steps into the town. The problem of course was, a lot of them was already inside.  
"No, the town isn't affected, nobody inside feels it. It runs only along the border, so the only one able to notice any change was the one standing on the border. Nobody should notice even while crossing now. I should have done it a long time ago. But I didn't expect they start comming en mass. The Alpha pack..."  
"How does it even work? I know only about an usual pack. Alpha pair at most."  
Danny shrugged.  
"Apparently, murdering your own pack plays a role. And lots of hate."

"Danny, you know some of them, don't you?" Jenna asked after a while.  
"Not anymore. Even if, it doesn't matter, I know nothing about the pack. Only that it must be stopped, whatever they want. Let's go back. Where did you get the car anyway?"  
Now Jenna fidgeted.  
"The… pack in New Orleans. The alpha… inherited a lot. And then…" Jenna shrugged and hopped in her Camaro. Danny thought, that whether he gave it to her or she get it some other way, mamá would certainly be proud. This is the way a man should care according to her. Only Jenna didn't sound enthusiastically.

The level of her enthusiasm didn't change even later. After she got home, she found the SS unit there, ie. Stiles vehemently persuading Scott to go to a birthday party with him since Isaac was fine now. Jenna entered the room just the moment Stiles said Heather is his childhood friend so it makes sense to be there. There'll surely be a lot of her frineds she introduces them to so they can forget Lydia and Allison. She then made the crucial mistake to wonder how she didn't know Stiles dated Lydia. Because he didn't, but he seized the opportunity and started to persuade even her. Assuming that if she agrees, Scott won't have other choice. So she consented – in a sudden loss of senses and under a perpetual avalanche of begging.

"Tell me once again, why did I agree to this?" Jenna asked Scott after they arrived to Heather's house. She didn't know her at all, like Scott, and the said Heather jumped on Stiles right in the door and dragged him to the cellar to choose some wine. Scott looked like aliens just landed in front of him. Stiles wasn't someone girls fought for. Perhaps he meant the forgetting his crush on Lydia Martin seriously.  
"For me to know at least someone just for this case, originally with the probability of one in a million. So… perhaps they have something to drink."  
"Allow me to remind you, you can't get drunk."  
"Then we maybe should go home. It was a stupid idea anyway," Scott noted, because he felt that. Unlike Stiles, he had pretty stormy albeit short relationship with Allison Argent and it ended with the unavoidable clash with her hunter family. She left to France then and proclaimed since her return, that she and her father don't want to have anything in common with hunting supernatural beasts, which made everything more complicated. He'd forget her more easily if she stayed an enemy. Jenna didn't know this whole history, but where she was concerned, she was in no mood for forgetting her previous relationships. Her relationship with Paul in New Orleans ended disastrously and even surpassed Scott and Allison. Moreover, a bunch of fifteen years old trying to get drunk for the first time in their life, that she saw, didn't seem appealing.  
So both turned back to the door, but Lydia and Allison suddenly went through.

"What are you doing here?" Scott looked panicked for a second.  
"Looking for you."  
"How did you know I'm here?"  
"Scott, there's no party in Beacon Hills I don't know about. Hi," Lydia uttered to Jenna once she registered her presence.  
"Hi," Allison didn't look so confident and avoided Scott's gaze. She rather looked around although she didn't look at anything particular.  
"Can you go out? Can't hear anything in this noise. Terrible taste in music."  
Lydia then almost dragged Scott out and Jenna and Allison followed them.  
"So what's up?"  
Both of them rolled up the sleeves of their jackets. They had pretty similar bruise on their foreamrs and it was apparently the thing they wanted to show him.  
"A bruise," Jenna said.  
"Amazing observation."  
"It's from the girl that came here with Isaac. She grabbed us and asked for you Scott. Do you know what could it mean? What is this symbol?" Allison asked.  
"No, it looks… simply like a bruise. Are you sure it's a symbol?"  
"They both look the same and yes, I think so."

Scott kept looking at their arms, but he wasn't as sure as Allison. If that girl who saved Isaac asked for him, it probably was something important, but nobody, even at the hospital, knew who she was and she disappeared. He couldn't do anything about it. And this didn't make it any clearer.  
"You know, I think you may be right."  
They all turned to Jenna.  
"It can be some pattern. And I definitely won't throw away the possibility it means something. It means nothing to me now, but I'm no symbologist."  
She could say it's fingerprints with a large amound of skepticism. But after everything that happened the last two days, after she saw Danny to be afraid, after what she discovered about the Alfa pack, she wasn't about to rely on a common coincidences. There's a very little coincidences.  
"Thanks," Allison smiled with relief on Jenna. Finally someone believed her and didn't think she exaggerates.  
"In fact, it'd be worth it to explore it now. Really. The terrible music is last of the problems of this party and since your friend is crawling after the birthday girl, I changed my mind about being your accompaniment."

But Jenna didn't find any answer for any question about the mysterious bruise. Perhaps the fact, that Allison called her at night lifted her mood slightly. They only confirmed none of them is any wiser, their shared convinction broke the ice though and Jenna felt for the first time she wants to talk with her classmate. Albeit her brother's ex.

And they affirmed the same non-result in the morning at school. They didn't find no known sign reminding Allison's bruise on the internet or the Argent family records. On top of it, Lydia still didn't share their presumptions. They were arguing whether to give up or try to find some new sources when Scott disturbed them. Or rather Scottstiles. And Derek Hale with them. Another source?  
"Hi. I told Derek about your bruises and it can mean something. He agreed to take a look."  
Lydia rolled her eyes tehatrically and Allison nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. Jenna stood aside closer to Scott. Really? Bring Hale here? He could at least warn her.  
"Hm?"  
Allison showed him hesitantly her forearm. As well as with Scott, there were no good relationships between him and Argents. Basically hate given the history. No wonder. The desire not to be there radiated from him, and then the annoyance over a wasted time.  
"No, I don't see anything there."  
"I told you. It's probably an example of paraidolia, when someone sees patterns where are none, like the clouds," Lydia nodded.  
"So you brought me here just for this? To look at paraidolia?" Derek growled at Scott.  
"The bruises are from Isaac's saviour. It could mean something. They are trying to help."  
"Help," Derek repeated. „She," he pointed at Lydia, "used me to revive my psychopathic uncle. She was ready to send thirty arrows at me," he nodded at Allison. "And she..." he looked at Jenna. She lowered her gaze. So he hates her. Naturally.  
"Look, none of them have any death on their lists, so there's not much to blame them for," Stiles cut him.  
"She does," Derek nodded at Jenna again, turned and went off.  
So did Jenna before they could ask her. But Derek didn't let her to catch him, so she headed away from school. That's why she didn't try to meet Derek. She had to do it. It wasn't any idiotic sadistic whim, it wouldn't have ended like that would she find another way. But he probably won't understand. And why should he?

"Your sister'll be in trouble. What did it mean?" Stiles asked Scott when Jenna didn't return after the morning burst for any class and didn't show up even during the P.E.  
"I don't know. I had no idea she knows Derek. Or what do they have in common."  
"And with what death. He looked ready to bite her. Do you think she can be in it? Indeed, she showed up recently, right?"  
"Stiles..." Scott leaned on his elbows in the middle of exercise and looked at his friend. He appreciated his passion. Only it sometimes bordered paranoia. His sister definitely wasn't any alpha killer.  
"Ok, ok, but when we're at it, the Alpha pack."  
"Hm?"  
"They are behind Boyd's and Erica's disappearing according to Derek. And I have a question. A pack of alphas," he stressed the alphas. "Why do they need two betas?"  
"Maybe it's not about them?" Scott proposed.  
"Exactly. I think they want to force Derek to join them. It makes sense."  
"Perhaps. But it's pretty weird approach."  
"Who says he understands them? Well maybe except your aunt. Do you think she knows more than she said like Peter thinks? She enraged him. But it was cool, she's a boss."  
Scott finished his sit-ups and laid on the fieldgrass. He thought about it for a while before he answered. He played the scene of them giving drugs to Isaac and talking about the pack in his memory.  
"I… don't know. She said she doesn't know why the animals go crazy at first. It seemed sincere. But… Peter's right. She panicked only after they mentioned the leader, the Deucalion."

New students walked around the field at that moment – twins Aiden and Ethan. Scott had a feeling they heard them, listened to them actually. There was definitelly something strange about them. But before he could focus properly, the whistle of coach Finstock sounded and sheriff Stilinski entered the field.

Stiles thought Heather gave up on him as all the other girls in his life. That she changed her mind and run from the cellar before he returned to her after he searched for a condom in her bathroom. Therefore he spend a short part of yesterday's evening roaming her house among partying teenagers befor it bored him and then went home. But according to his father, she disappeared not only from the cellar, but completely sometime during the party and Stiles panicked. He was immediatelly convinced it's not an accident and the alphas are behind it. Even though he had no idea how or why. Scott too had to agree there's too much happening for it to be an accident and it was clear they need Isaac's memories. They have to get them out. And when Hales couldn't he succumbed to Stiles' hysterical insistence and tried to find help again with Danny. But she wasn't sure she knows some faster way than therapy and sent him to doctor Deaton. He may have a solution.

Derek emptied the last bag of ice into the metal tub. Next to it Isaac prepared. He wanted to know what happened to him and what did he saw and if nothing worked, he agreed to this wild idea of the vet Deaton.  
"It should be enough," Deaton estimated the work of Derek, Scott and Stiles. "This should be enough to lower the body temperature and heartbeat to the line of death. If everything works, Isaac should be half changed, get into trance and open the acces to his subconscious."  
"Wow, I've never thought to try this. But it sounds crazy enough to actually work."  
The door of the back office opened and Danielle joined the others.  
"What is she doing here?" Derek turned to Deaton.  
"I called her, just in case."  
"I don't know why should we trust her."  
"For one, Isaac stands here thanks to me?"  
Derek frowned at Danielle. She firmly returned his gaze. If he wants to be childish, she can be too. He possibly couldn't want to defend his uncle.  
"Is there a problem?" Deaton looked from one to the other.  
"May be," Derek growled. "Do you still have the thing you stabbed Peter with?"  
"Ready to use. How's he?"  
Isaac smirked. "I regret I missed it."  
"Ehm, all right, let's calm down, shall we? She just did what we all wanted to do, so can we now focus on Isaac? From what do we know, Peter tried to get memories from him, but they only get some flashes of Boyd and heard Deucalion to say they'll be dead at the next full moon. Which is kind of tonight," Stilles summed up recent findings for everyone. Scott listened his aunt's reaction. He noticed no more rush of fear. They were wrong yesterday or she wasn't surprised anymore. Stiles insisted he asks her. Peter insisted he pries it out of her. It amused him a little. Peter visibly lost the taste to pry it out himself. On the other hand, he calmed himself that she'd tell them if she knew. She's his aunt. She can't be on the side of mainacs.

"Let's hope Isaac remembers where they are. Get inside. I'll need you three to hold him. The cold will provoke him and his instincts will make him jump out. You need to hold him in the ice. In the case he won't wake up himself in time, we need to use his opened subconscious and enter it. If you agree," Deaton turned to Isaac.  
"What does it mean?"  
"I'd need to connect to your trance and see the same as you."  
"But only in the case you won't remember yourself. That's why I called the doctor here," Deaton added.  
"Ok, whatever," Isaac breathed out and climbed into the icy tub.

How doctor Deaton assumed, as soon as he laid into the water and between the ice cubes and the cold bite his skin, his eyes shone and he started to defy. Derek, Scott and Stiles immediatelly pushed him back and made him lay in the icy hell until he stopped to twitch and growl. Then they stepped back. They watched Isaac submerged in the tub, eyes closed, and both werewolves listened to his slowing heartbeat. Eventually, the delay between the single beats was so long it seemed the next one wouldn't come.

Derek nervously tapped his leg and watched his beta, fearing the worst. Scott looked at the clock every five seconds and Stiles was biting his fingernails. The time passed very slowly but actually very fast too.  
"Shouldn't he be waking up or something?"  
Deaton was silent for few seconds. Then he looked at his watch and nodded at Danielle.  
She stood behind the tub to Isaac's head and prepared for her own unpleasant experience – put her hands into the icy water to touch his forehead, when Isaac sat up.  
The relief in the room was palpable. Derek and Scott instantly pulled Isaac out and Deaton handed him a thick blanket.

"I saw them. Both. Boyd is with someone in the… in… The First National Bank. Here in the vault. And also… also…" he looked up at Derek, „...I saw Erica. Her body."  
"What?! That doesn't… Erica can't be dead!" Derek paced back and forth along the room. Isaac watched him but didn't correct.  
"I saw her."  
"You said Deucalion threatened with their deaths tonight, so why should she be dead? And who would be with Boyd?"  
"Maybe the girl that saved you?"  
"No. She's not like us and whoever is in the vault."  
"Maybe the Alpha pack let them fight during full moon. You know, like Thunderdome," Stiles suggested.  
"I can't exclude someone thought about it, but it doesn't seem plausible considering everything else," Deaton shook his head. He wasn't the only one who – again – thought it far fetched.  
"Fine, it was just a suggestion. Because if they want for example make Derek to join them, Erica's death doesn't make any sense."  
"Makes or not, we must to get them out. Boyd and the other one. Then we can find out what's it about. We have few hours. My loft at five."

Danielle went straight home. She knew the invitation doesn't extend to her and she was worried about Scott. But he will never be discouraged and she couldn't do anything else for his safety. But she was about to do for hers since she finally had a free day. So she picked up Aurora from daycare and parked by her house where Matthew should return late afternoon after the swimming lesson. His coach was supposed to bring him, he's the father of one of his students and drives one group from three neighbouring streets every week after his lesson.

At first, years ago, she planned to take usual measures preventing every unsolicited supernatural creature from entering. Because of Matt and probably Aurora, it would only complicate their everyday life, so she chose a modification of spells used for her equpiment and grimoire – no one outside her blood can enter without her permission. Well, no one supernatural. The spell didn't work completely for ordinary people, it only induced so uncomfortable feelings they rahter left. So she wasn't surprised to find her niece sitting on the patio, she was immune.

"Hello. Before you ask, yeah, can I sleep here tonight?"  
"Don't tell me you again fought with mom."  
It wouldn't be the first time. She fought with Melissa or held a quiet household too often and everytime she run to sleep at her aunt's. Also the fact McCalls didn't have an extra bedroom while Danny made one from vacated old workroom had it's influence.  
"No, just..." she wanted to admit she skipped school at first, but didn't. "I want to look into your collection. We are trying to find something with Allison Argent and no luck for now."  
"So you chose Allison Argent of all classmates?"  
Jenna shrugged. "It came out somehow. We started to talk about the thing we search for and I met her this morning before Lydia Martin arrived and she told me she's no hunter and I just know she told the truth."  
"All right." It was good. She needed friends. "And what are you searching for?"  
"One symbol. If it's a symbol. We think so."  
"So take Aurora and we'll dig in the workroom."

Danielle's "new workroom" wasn't in the house. It was attached winter garden where she cultivated a lot of plants and herbs, with brick working area with a very modern kitchen fireplace, steel table and ventilation, separated by closable plexiglass wall. Jenna thought she had to invest half the price of the house in here.

Aurora run to different corner with a small fountain where she had her dollhouse. Jenna wasn't inside for the first time, but until now, she always just stepped there for a few seconds to let Danny know she had visitors. Now she entered with her and sat into a wicker chair Danny showed her. Then she watched her aunt taking an old leather bound tome out of the safe and then another one, similar but bit newer.

"Here. You can go through them. I don't know how much help it will be, symbols are more in the grimoire but still not much. If you want some drink, help yourself."  
Then she lit a fire in the fireplace by swift wave of her hand and poured water from electric kettle into a… cauldron? Pot? She explained to Jenna the last time she could use pots and a stove, but current electrical appliances allowed but a limited control and most of all, there was a risk of defect everytime she used her magical powers around it. Then Jenna while browsing through bestiary watched Danny crush, cut, pick off and mull ingredients lying all around and it seemed very strange to see her measure it precisely with digital stainless steel kitchen scale and plastic measuring cup. Such combination of fairytale old and consumerly modern was odd.  
"What are you making?"  
"Werewolf tranquilizer. If I just scald a wolfsbane, it'd have to be basically a posion to work."  
"For alphas?"  
"For whatever. They are definitely preparing something. Isaac remembered he saw Derek Hale's betas in the vault of First National Bank and that they should die tonight. And tonight is a full moon."  
"My borther set for a rescue I assume."  
Jenna closed the bestiary and opened the grimoire. She found a lot of things she'd love to read more about. Only later. The time was obviously ticking. The symbol could play some role. Although she had no particular reason to think that, the feeling wouldn't let her go.

"Mom, why's Lynx still not here!" the voice sounded from inside the house with door slamming after about two hours. Danny immediatelly reached for a towel and hands desinfection.  
"I saw her a while ago. She'll be fine, but she needs recover at the doctor's," she answered to Matt who came running to the winter garden with bag still on his back, but stopped right befor the working area. Whatever was boiling there smelled to him even through working ventilation.  
"I see. So I'm going out."  
"A moment, sir," Danny get hold of the backpack strap. "First, homework. Second, it will be better to stay home at least today."  
"But whyyyy?"  
"Matt, this is… one of those secret things not everyone knows-"  
"Like I'll be a werewooolf..." Matt jumped in impatiently. They've had this conversation many times before. She repeated him over and over again what he can't talk about with others and he understood. He was tired of listening to it all the time.  
"Yes. Only now some other and very dangerous came to the town and other animals behave like Lynx. So I want you to stay home, do you understand? Other parents surely won't let other kids out anyway. … Computer till the bedtime after the homework?" she added to convince him. Matt agreed to that and run back to the house.  
"Do you think they'd be interested in attacking him?" Jenna asked skeptically. He was a child. He didn't change yet, he wasn't more interesting than any other random boy.  
Danny listened to the sound of Matt's steps on the stairs and looked at Aurora. Then she lowered her voice.  
"He… he's his father."

"Ehm… and… I assume nobody knows?" Jenna didn't have to try to cover her surprise, it wasn't a big one after yesterday's securing of the city. She revealed to her she knew someone from the pack. She never spoke of her children's fathers. It made sense. It runs in the family.  
"No. And I truly don't know more about them. Back then… he was completely different, before Argent. Now I don't know him anymore. Kidnapping, pack murdering, Stiles thinks he tries to recruit Derek."  
"Recruit by killing off his pack?" Jenna rejected such possibility as eventually Stiles. Hostages are always delicate thing but kill them stright away contradicted their purpose.  
"He had to have a reason to lock them in the vault."  
"Well, let's get a look at that vault," Jenna pulled out her phone and started to search informations about the First National Bank.  
"It resists to several months of werewolf desperation, so extremely durable."  
"According to their website, the vault as well as the bank were designed differently from other government buildings with much bigger budget. They wanted to show off? Yes, here. The central vault from hecatolite, very expensive gemstone known as a moon stone. And I guess moon stone..."  
"...affects werewolves, yes. It's one of the natural blockers, it absorbs to moonlight. So in a room of moon stone, they can't transform even if they go wild. Which happens in a sufficient time," Danny finished. Such prison had to be excruciating. That had to have a reason too.  
"So they hold Derek's betas to make them lose their minds and keep them from transformation, all till tonight and tonight is a full moon."  
"If they get out, they'll change immediately. And it won't be nice at all."  
"But if they won't get… out..."  
Jenna frowned, shut the browser down and returned to the picture of Allison's bruise.  
"You said the alpahs killed off their packs."  
"They want Derek to kill them!" they said at once.

Jenna's eyes widened again once she finally realized what does the bruise look like. No symbol. A sign. Sign of the First National Bank. It was before their eyes the whole time.  
"Screw it, I have to go!"  
"Hey, wait, you won't go with them, will you!"  
But Jenna only grabbed her phone and car keys and bolted out without looking back.  
"No worry mammy, she be late."

When Jenna got into her car, she was afraid Allison also finds out the sign. She needed to get to the bank as fast as possible and stop her, if she's right. Ideally stop even Derek and Scott. Make them to get the two werewolves out only in the morning. Her brother, of course, didn't pick up his phone.  
But it turned out Aurora was right.  
When she arrived to the bank, she glimpsed two figures disappearing in the distance at enormous speed. And after she got off the car and run inside, she soon heard angry voices. Her brother's was there too to her relief. And unsurprisingly, Allison's. She wasn't wrong.  
"Why did you do that, why did you broke the line!"  
"She saved us," she heard Scott protesting. Their voices were carried loudly through empty stone corridors.  
"Saved. And released two killing machines!"

Jenna was about to run to them and put herself into their beginning quarrel. She wanted to know the explanation and catch them before they hurt someone above all.  
But then a terrible gride resonated in her head.


	4. Chapter 4

_**NOTE: **Guys, I did it! I'm an avocado! I made the bar exams! So I decided to translate another part of my story since I don't have to study anymore!_

* * *

Danielle finally drove Matt to bed. He let himself be persuaded not to go out of the house by the permission of the whole evening in front of the PC and then he didn't want to get off it. Even more difficult was to put Aurora to bed tonight, because since Jenna left, she insisted that someone was watching. Danny had no idea who should be watching and knew she couldn't get more. Aurora sometimes uttered something strange just by the way, something sounding as foreboding, but didn't even know she's saying it. Whenever Danny tried to ask her, she said it just occured to her and she forgot it already. But it didn't feel good and when she turned off the lights in both children's rooms, she stood to the darkened window above the driveway. Could be someone watching them? She tried to look through the gathering darkness… and it seemed to her there's a big figure on the opposite pavement. She focused at that place and thought whether it's a man or a bush.  
Then she heard that terrible long gride.  
She grabbed her head, firmly shut her eyes and leaned against the wall next to the window.

At the same moment, sudden headache accompanied by booming gride made Melissa collapse into a chair in the nurses room.

Jenna and Allison leaned against their cars on the overwiew above the town. Derek and Scott run into the woods to find raging werewolves and the two girls weren't exactly in a situation to get under their feet. And not only because the said werewolves were able to attack anyone without questions.  
A short but devastating conversation resonated in both of them.  
Once the terrible scream, gride or whatever finally faded, Jenna realized she's sitting on the ground by the wall and everyone stood around her. They seemed like nobody heard it. And they said they didn't. But this concern lasted only till they exited the bank. There, Derek noticed Jenna's car and his eyes made clear she has no right to it, while Scott asked where did she get it. And then, before she mustered enough courage to finally say something, while she ignored Scott's questiones, an argument with Allison broke again and Scott admitted what happened with her mother several months ago before Allison left the town. That Derek bit her because she tried to kill Scott and they kept it secret.

"Now you at least know everything too,"Allison finally broke the silence reigning between them for long minutes. She felt she has to say something.  
"I'm not surprised he didn't tell you."  
"Or that Derek can't stand me."  
Jenna grimaced.  
"Relax. He hates me more than you."  
Allison blinked in surprise.  
Jenna took a breath. She needed to talk about it with someone. Anyone. Get it ouf at last, justify what has she done, what she had to do. Allison wouldn't have to judge her, she didn't know her or anyone else from her past. Then she tapped the hood of her Camaro.  
"It belongs to Paul Hale. Derek's brother. That's why he looked so pissed. I… have all his belongings now."  
Allison clearly didn't understand where was she heading. But Jenna would tell her everything anyway. Once she started, she couldn't stop.  
"We met in New York after my dad and me moved there. He lived there, became the alpha, he had his own pack. He brought me into the supernatural. And then I run to New Orleans with them. We were crazy about each other. Done several things we shouldn't have done, not in that age. But we thought it's only natural to connect forever, I mean… not like the wedding vows about one body one soul, literally. Only he started… succumb to madness, violence, killing and… almost disappeared, only the wolf remained and nobody could bring him back. It couldn't be done differently, someone would have done it sooner or later to get his position and… I the fuck knew Paul wanted it to be me!" she suddenly exploded. "Someone had to kill him and it had to be me!"  
"Oh… I… I'm sorry."  
Jenna shook her head. "No need. It just… happened. And… then I got his car, his money… only I couldn't stay with his pack. Nor return to my dad. So I told myself I go back here. So… you see why he hates me. The pack told him Paul's dead and why."  
"And now his own pack is falling apart for the same reason."  
"You know, we should do something. Not let it… happen again."  
She looked at Jenna. She understood.

Allison opened the trunk of her car, a bag inside and nodded to Jenna to join her.  
"Ok, what can I count on with you?"  
Jenna looked inside the bag. The awkward tension accompanying the waiting was gone. The anger and sadness as well. They had a goal. An important one.  
"I'm able to get them down without weapon if needed. Just lure them."  
Allison murmured skeptically.  
"Look, none of you asked me what am I. My brother is werewolf and the rest of my family witches, I can do some tricks."  
"Whatever. We set a trap, lure them, you get them to the right place and we can hold them till morning."  
"Do you have everything we need?"  
Allison get the bag and threw it to Jenna.  
"Let's do this."

It didn't take long to prepare the trap. Jenna found the work with Allison surprisingly entertaining. She was also relieved after her confession. Especially since Allison was tactful enough not to bring it out again for now. Then they shortly argued which one of them was to run few yards back into the woods and leave blood trail for the werewolves to attract and follow. When everything was set, they took night vision goggles, also from Allison's gear, and waited.  
Waited.  
Waited.  
No werewolf cleary cared for Allison's blood in the slightest.

And then they undererestood why. They noticed two figures running to the opposite direction down by the town thanks to their view. They both swore and jumped back into the cars.

It wasn't a long journey and when they neared the school, Allison told Jenna her father had to help the others because she noticed several ultrasonic emitters leading to the building. Hunters used it often. But they also soon noticed the werewolves not stepping into the building, but climbing to the roof. They had to make them go inside where, as they knew, others waited. So Allison grabbed her quiver. Jenna critically overlooked the scene.  
"Take it from here, I go from the other side. But wait for the right moment!"  
Jenna left Allison at the parking lot and run along the school wall. They needed them to go inside and prevent them from running away at the same time. Therefore she climbed to the top of the wall, straightened and without further waiting made something between an authoritative growl and a howl. Her face didn't change, not for human eyes. Jenna discovered this ability in New Orleans. After her and Paul's pack moved in, after they decided to link their lives forever. She discovered it means more than emotional side. And Paul was alpha. Strong alpha. After the fire and starting his pack, he became the alpha of Hales. It always meant big power inherited for decades.  
One of the werewolves was also Hale. Cora. Derek's and Paul's sister. She couldn't not to hear her.

In the meantime, Allison climbed to the roof of school bus and after noticing the werewolves confusedly closing to her, shot her lightning arrows. Under such attack, the werewolves jumped down and run to hide inside.

"What did you want to talk about?" Danielle asked her sister. She went to the hospital to her only because she sounded very urgent. She really didn't want to let the kids home alone tonight. No stranger should be able to get inside and she thought the figure, if it was indeed a figure, went away once she started up her mitsubishi, but it did not much to reassure her. Something was definitelly going on.  
"They brought a man, murdered tonight, in a fairly strange way. I'll show you, but I want Stiles to see him too, he's got his nose into this anyway. But that's not all."  
"You heard it too, haven't you?" she asked her sister directly. It wasn't hard to realize the dead man would have something in common with it, especially since the sound knocking her off for a moment definitelly wasn't natural. And Melissa could pretend whatever she wished, she still was a witch, it stayed in her.  
"I told the others it's just a headache because of dehydration, nobody else heard it, but it wasn't normal."  
Danielle nodded. She knew it wasn't. Only she still didn't know the source.  
"Someone had to disturb the natural order with something dark. Something going beyond the scope of "normal" dark stuff," Danny indicated quotes when she searched for the right words. Even though it was just her guess.  
"Tell me about it. Man, I barely get used to one thing and something new jumps in."  
"The disadvantage of being a human, Stiles."  
"...thanks. Such booster-shot always pleases me tremendously. What did you want to show me?"

Melissa nodded to them and took them quickly into the morgue. She was careful not to be seen on the way, though it wasn't too hard in the middle of the night. Dead poeple don't need nonstop night shifts.  
"The victim you found by the pool," she proclaimed when she stopped by a covered body.  
"You?" Danielle wondered.  
"Lydia actually. Like… Lydia Martin. She called me. She doesn't know how did she get there or what lured here there, she just was there suddenly and found him. Which terrifies her of course, Peter made her to bring him from death the last time she just suddenly appeared on places. But on the other hand it doesn't sound likely for Peter to drag her to this body, nor for this one to make her bring him back, so we don't know what to think."  
"Perhaps I can find an answer if she wants me to, but now to the body. You said they murdered him in a strange way."  
Melissa pulled the sheet from the body and nodded.  
"As you can see, somebody cut his throat and strangled him at the same time. And struck a blow to his head. All three ways could kill him on their own. That's why it's strange. He would kill him either way, so why? And it's still not all."  
"There's fourth way? That'd be really overkill," Stiles wondered.  
"No. But it's not the first victim. Today, they brought in a gril with the same injuries," she explained and pulled out another body from a box. When she uncovered the face, Stiles gasped.  
"Oh my god, you know her… I had no idea..." Melissa wanted to cover her immediatelly, but Stiles held her hand.  
"Heather was missing since yesterday evening..."  
"She allegedly died at that time."  
Stilles looked into the dead girl's face with a hard-to-read expression and Melissa looked up at Danielle. They both had the same thought. If the paralyzing sound related to the death of the man beside them and the girl died yeasterday, why they haven't heard anything then?

Once both werewolves run into the school and the door closed, Jenna run around the building back to the main entrance and Allison who climbed down the bus. But now she didn't intend to wait with her again. She threw herself inside without further consideration.  
It was easy to find out where did they go. Just listen to the growling. She doesn't have such delicate hearing as her brother, but it's easy to recognize a werewolf for her. Therefore she run down to the basement and then to the boiler. Just in the moment Derek stepped into the door Scott and some man she didn't know locked behind him and held barricaded. Where, without a doubt, the werewolves were too.  
"Is he mad? Why did he go there?!"  
"Someone stayed inside with them!" Scott answered and he'd add questions about what was she doing there if not for his focus on the sounds from inside.  
"Damn, let me in!" she was convinced she could handle them, but her brother obviously didn't know that. Nor that man.  
"No way, they are out of control, they rip you apart!" he opposed.  
"Look, I don't know who you are, but that's the reason why Derek can't stay there alone!"  
"How do you know him anyway?" Scott jumped in.  
"Long story."  
"Yeah, as is the one with his sister and beta inside, I'd say he can handle them better than you. The door stays closed until sunrise."

Jenna wanted to tell him something and thought about breaking the door despite their objections. Although she didn't want to show her brother her abilities, because she didn't want to talk with him about her life and especially about what happened with Paul. But before she decided for one option, she heard the weird gride again. It overwhelmed all her senses.

She heard the same irritating sound sending her to the ground for the third time after a quick shower intending to wash away a sleepless night and go to school as a perfect student. And she noticed it didn't affect only her.

"So that's three dead and one missing."  
"Probably. I looked everywhere. It's like he just walked away. Left his car, his dog." Scott summarized the last case he discussed with Stiles. A man Lydia found by the pool yesterday, Heather, the girl Emily camping in the woods the previous night. Scott thought Boyd and Cora did it at first, werewolves Allison freed from the bank yesterday, but Stilles insisted the injuries didn't look like werewolf job. On the opposite, he thought about some insane ritual because he found out the dead man was wearing the purity ring, Heather told him herself she's a virgin and Emily's girlfriend confirmed the same about Emily after the police questioned her. Scott had to acknowledge the time didn't sit with Heather, Boyd, Cora and all the other circumstances. Or the owner of the dog who got lost this morning by the vet.  
"And would he have been a virgin? Did he look like a virgin?"  
Scott rolled his eyes.  
"No, definitely not. Deaton makes me have sex with all of his clinets. It's a new policy. No, I really don't know if he was a virgin," Scott added when he saw Stiles' face. He didn't appreciate his jokes today.  
"And why are you talking like he's already dead? He's just missing."  
"Yeah, missing and presumed dead, because he's probably a virgin, Scott. And do you know who else is a virgin? Me! And do you know what that means? It means that my lack of sexual experiences is now literally a threat to my life! I need to have sex. Right now. Someone needs to have sex with me, like today, like right now!"

Jenna walked around them and pretended she didn't notice them or Stiles' embarassing rant. She was surprised her brother can make fun of himself, but he also upset her last night, beacuse she knew she could deal with that Boyd and especially Cora Hale and didn't have to let them rip Derek apart, as Allison's father aptly noted. But they of course didn't believe her. And probably wouldn't believe her if she told them now the client is absolutely dead. As her aunt told her, the seizures with weird sounds in her head came during the last two murders and this morning around the time the man disappeared. But they had no proof and no idea about the source. Moreover, Danny seemed distraught and Jenna had to go to school, so they had no time to look closer. If she didn't come today, they'd call her mother. And she didn't need another argument with her.

She also didn't need today's P.E. where the coach Finstock announced the cross-country.  
"I think I shouldn't participate today, I had migraine attack this morning," she tried to report him.  
"McCall, I know you are new here, but for your information, I heard a good deal of much better excuses. So take your shoes and go to start without further gauche bullshits. That goes for you too, Lahey! Good you are back, bad you are late. Cross-country is mandatory especially for lacrosse players, I won't have bunch of fat asses on my team!"  
"Jeez what an idiot..." Jenna muttered and Issac grinned. He was the only one who didn't anger her yesterday. He helped her out after her seizure, while Scott guarded the boiler door. He also didn't show he belittles her abilities.  
"You didn't see him at his best."  
"Nor you. How's Derek?"  
"Good now."

Isaac wanted to add something at first, but then two enormous shadows squeezed between him and Jenna on the start. And when the coach whistled, they set off by more than profesional speed. Isaac whose grin fell once they showed up set off after them. Scott too after few seconds.  
Jenna absolutelly didn't intend to try to catch them. She just cursed male ego, especially werewolf ego. The two at the front were werewolves without a doubt, otherwise they'd have to have some golds from Olympics. And Scott and Isaac were bothered by that for some reason.

Even though it perhaps wasn't too hard to find the reason after all. She was in the last group that decided to ignore the couch and barely drag their bodies to their destination, but even she heard the scream from the front. That made her to speed up. Not that she couldn't run fast, running just wasn't her favorite activity.  
Once she catched up a growing crowd of students, she saw them staring on a dead man's body tied to the tree with long bloody wound on his neck. She didn't need to hear Scott to be sure this was the missing man.  
The coach started to drive them away, not really succesfully, and someone called the police. Someone else then recognized that man and desperately called his name – Kyle. Jenna ignored it. She looked at the wound giving away somebody cut him. And not just that. A clearly visible trace of something thin digging into his throat and strangling him at the same time was above it.

"You see the way the twins looked at him?" she heard Isaac.  
"Yeah, you mean like they had no idea what happened?"  
"No, no, they knew."  
"He was strangled and really, am I the only one seeing the lack of werewolfitude in these mruders?" Stiles opposed. Jenna had to agree.  
"So you think it's a coincidence they turn up and people start dying?" Isaac insisted.  
"Well, no, but I still don't think it's them. Scott? How about you?"  
"I don't know," Scott admitted.  
"You don't know?"  
"Well… Isaac's got a point. Like seriously, dude? Human sacrifices?" Scott agreed with Stiles in the morning that it didn't seem like werewolves, but his theory about rituals sounded unlikely.  
"Scott, your eyes turn into yellow glow stisks, hair grows from your cheeks and it all disappears if you wish so and if I were to stab you right now, it would just magically heal, but you're still having trouble grasping human sacrifices?"  
"That's… a good point too."  
"I don't care. They killed him. They killed the girl that saved me. I'm gonna kill them too," Isaac said harshly.

Because it's suddenly so easy to kill two strong werewolves, Jenna thought. She understood him, but she was on Stiles' side in this. Not that she planned to tell them until she knows more. But she doubted Isaac can manage it. They kicked his ass once already. How difficult can it be for the second time?  
Moreover, his first attempt ended disastrously. The whole class run to the hallway during one period because of scream and found one of the twins lying on the ground, badly beaten, and the second one told Isaac did that. Who earned detention. This definitely won't work. Isaac was furious. A lot. Especially since they laughed in his face.

Jenna noticed gold shining through his eyes. Him losing control. So while the teacher calmed down the mess around and the onlookers returned to the classroom, she quickly grabbed his hand.  
"Relax. Look at me. Breath slowly. Keep it inside. Don't give in. Don't let it take over you. Don't let them get what they want."  
She felt Isaac also seized her hand, pretty painfully.  
It took a while for him to calm down. But he did eventually.  
"Thanks, that…" but then he realized he's crushing her hand.  
"Fuck, sorry, I didn't mean to..."  
"That's fine, the important thing is you kept your cool."  
"What the hell was you doing here?" Scott joined them.  
"Nothing. They did it on purpose and blamed me. They wanted to provoke me."  
"Obviously, they want to anger and compromise all of you."  
"Then we anger them. Really anger."

They set their plan in motion at the beginning of their literature class.  
Scott pulled out of his backpack several parts of one of their motorbikes, so Aiden and Ethan could clearly see him. At the same moment, roaring engine was heard from the hallway. Isaac drove the second motorbike through the hallway after Jenna showed him how to start it without the key. Not that she was proud of this craft learned from one of Paul's betas, but it obviously came handy.  
The twins immediatelly run out of class… which professor Blake appreciated by detention.

Stiles avoided this theater. He couldn't help himself to skip school and try to find out more about the ongoing investigation of all murders as usual, whereat his father catched him, as often, and recommended him to stop sticking his nose into it, as even more often. When they had a serial killer in Beacon Hills, because of whom the FBI was comming on top of it.

Stiles didn't like it at all. He didn't think FBI can be significantly more succesful with the search for the perpetrator than his father, if it's something supernatural, but that surely couldn't stop them from stating his father is incompetent. He needed to push him into the right direction, but he didn't know how. Or where precisely. Because as he found out, the first three victims were virgins, Kyle and his girlfriend enjoyed a rich intimate life, so he seemingly had nothing in common with the rest. And it occured to him, he wasn't supposed to, that it's trio of victims with a common characteristics. But with a single victim from the second trio, he had no idea what's the characteristic supposed to be.

So he eventually went to doctor Deaton as another possibility to gain some informations, and to his surprise, he found the last possibility there too, Danny.  
"Oh, good afternoon, I didn't know you have a visit."  
"A consultation," Deaton answered. "But you are out of school early."  
"Yeah, free period, actually. And I was just headed to see my dad. He's pretty busy, like… you know I guess that people are kind of getting murdered again and it's his job to figure it out."  
"I gathered as much from the sheriff title."  
"Yeah, um… you know, but it gets kind of hard for him to do his job when he doesn't have part of the informations. And we all know he's missing pretty much half the story here, right? So I started thinking and I remembered someone who does have a lot of informations and who always seems to know more than anyone else around here. You two."  
"You got us. We walk around and murder people. We are bored," Danny said. "No but we just discussed this. That the murders are nothing natural, you are right, sheriff can't figure it out on his own."  
"So you know who does it?" Stiles asked with hopes high.  
"No. But we suspect what. All the symbols and things around the murders, all of it leads to the Celtic druids of old. And anyone who has ever looked up human sacrifices before has to know the connection to the druids. Especially this one. You ever heard of the lindow man? Two thousands years old body found in England? Strangled, head bashed in, throat cut. Threefold death. They also found pollen grains in his stomach. Guess what favorite druid plant that was. Mistletoe."  
"...which is all you already know, isn't it?" Danny noticed Stiles' unsrprised face.  
"Why didn't tell us sooner?"  
"Maybe because I've spent the last ten years trying to push something away, lying about it… becomes a pretty powerful habit," Deaton explained.  
Danny frowned. As with her sister, she wondered even about Deaton, that he tried to suppress his supernatural part so vehemently. She could never understand anyone doing it. She couldn't imagine a life without magic. Deliberately.

"All right, so this guy… is he a druid?"  
"No. It's someone copying a centuries old practice of people who should have known better. Do you know what the word druid means in Gaelic?  
"No."  
"Wise oak. Druids were close to nature. They believed they kept it in balance. They were supposed to keep it in balance. They were philosophers and scholars, they weren't serial killers."  
"Well, this one is," Stiles stated.

But before Deaton answered to him, Danny spoke up.  
"No, again, not again..." she grabbed her head and tried to fight the terrible sound she heard for the fourth time.  
Stiles and Deaton just stared at her. Deaton knew there's nothing to do. That's why she came to him. Strange sound and overwhelming headache every time one of the ritual murders happens except the first one. They agreed the first one didn't mean a pattern yet by itself and couldn't start anything the killer tries to do, but the rest following the first meant what he just hinted to Stiles. Breaching of natural magic balance. Danny felt it because she was born as a witch. Melissa and Jenna too. Breaching of the magic running in their veins.

Stiles' pohone rung during that. His classmate Lydia told him the music teacher just disappeared.

Scott decided to wait for Isaac just to be sure, until they let him go from detention. Just in case the twins wanted to deal with him right after they'd be out of teacher's sight. He wandered around the almost empty school for some time and sat on the stairs in the end. Jenna joined him probably half an hour later.  
"What are you still doing here?"  
"I don't want to go home."  
Which was half the truth. She orginally intended to go home, but then she heard the sound again. The grind overwhelmed her. She again understood something is commiting murder right now. And there was nothing to do, because she didn't know what, where and why.  
"Perhaps you should just ask Danny for keys. You spend more time there than home."  
"Imagine you suddenly comming to father. All right," she rised her hands when Scott wanted to protest, "that'd be worse, but that's not the point. It's not easy to be home after all these years."  
"You came here on your own, didn't you? In a car that's more expensive than half of our house..."  
"My car really bugs you so much?"  
"That, that you know Derek, that you probably know milion of other things you didn't tell?"  
Jenna sighted.  
"If you want to know it all so much, yeah, I know Derek. For a bit. I knew his brother more."  
"He has a brother?"  
"Duh. He had. We had… the car was his. Ours. He was alpha. I could run away from dad with his pack. You know, you really had no idea how lucky you were that mom kept you. We moved to New Orleans. I discovered a lot about werewolves, Hales, magic… I helped him with his betas. Before he died."  
"I'm… really sorry."  
Jenna shook her head.  
"That's what alphas do, right? Die. That's… let it go. At least you surprised me. The last time I saw you, you were sick baby never catching up with me. Now you are a big wolf," she patted his knee and stood up. Isaac emerged on top of the stairs.

The three of them went to school as soon as the terrible feeling left Danielle. They didn't doubt the teacher's dead, but if he disappeared directly from school and now, they could find some evidence about his kidnapper and killer. So they joined Lydia in the music classroom and she showed them a recording in his phone forgotten on a piano. It was the reason she didn't think he went home.  
"That's quieter and not so annoying version of what I hear every time," Danny confirmed.  
"Can we get a copy of this?" Deaton asked.  
"Hey, doc, if you know something, it'd be helpful to share," Stiles spoke up.  
"Well, in the dark part of druid mythology, each group of three would have its own purpose, its own type of power. It's different kind of groups, virgins, healers, philosophers, warriors..."  
"Wait, wait, wait," Stilles interrupted him. "Could warrior also be like a soldier?"  
"Absolutely."  
"Kyle was in R.O.T.C. with Boyd. That's got to be it. That's the pattern."  
"And where is Boyd?" asked Danny.  
"Home probably by now? I'm gonna try and get him on the phone."  
"Lydia? Something wrong?" Deaton turned to pensively looking student. She showed them the phone where a picture of the music teacher in uniform was.  
"And… I just thought of someone else with a military connection."  
"Who?"

They followed Lydia into the classroom of professor Harris, which was naturally empty.  
"He could have simply left for the day, though."  
"And he's definitelly not dead, I didn't hear anything."  
"I don't think he left without this," Lydia pointed at the table with tests scattered all around. She picked up one of them.  
"He graded it R? And this one H?"  
They quickly looked through all the tests, but only six of them had some grade. R, H, D, C and two As.  
"Stiles, you remember I told you druid is the Gaelic word for wise oak?"  
"Yeah?"  
"If a druid went down the wrong path, the wise oak was sometimes said to have become a dark oak. There's a Gaelic word for that as well. Darach."

"Shall we go?" Scott stood up too and all three of them set up for the exit.  
But then Aiden and Ethan appeard on top of the stairs too and once they saw Isaac, they looked highly angry again, run down and immediatelly turned into their werewolf form. Jenna noticed they both are alphas. But it didn't stop Isaac, right on the contrary. He run back to them.  
"Isaac no!"  
Jenna knew he had no chance against them. And she barely blinked and saw even her brother in his werewolf form for the first time. He originally didn't want to attack the twins, but he couldn't leave Isaac alone in this. But the twins did something Jenna didn't expect. She had no clue it's possible. They stood together and somehow… merged into one huge and quite ugly werewolf. Ugly, huge and strong. He threw Isaac away with single hit, grabbed Scott's neck and picked him up from the ground without a sweat. Jenna flipped her gaze from one to the other, then quickly stood in the middle of the hallway.  
"Hey! Try someone stronger!"  
Werewolf that used to be Aiden and Ethan smashed Scott agaist wall and turned to Jenna. She didn't hesitate. Once her way was free, she run against him… them, snarled and instinctively grasped them for their neck. There was no chance for her to get them from the ground, just because they were more than one and a half feet bigger than her, but she didn't try that. She snarled again and, she wasn't sure whether thanks to her strength or their submission, ripped them apart.

"If this didn't take an interesting turn."

Someone else spoke from the other side.  
Jenna turned and saw a man with black glasses and white cane. She didn't know him, but according to his accessories he wasn't supposed to see what just happened. But he looked as if he did. And as if he liked it.

Jenna glanced at Scott and Isaac. Isaac barely get up from the ground where he was knocked by one twin after she violently separated them and they fell down, and Scott was recovering from terrible blow in his head. While the man walked toward her with absolute confidence.  
But then he walked around her and continued to the twins who didn't change back completely. Then he drew a short knife from his cane and swiped twice after them with even bigger conficence. Jenna felt he had to see in some way. Otherwise such precise thin slash wouldn't open on the twins faces.

When he turned to leave, Stiles and Danny went out of one classroom. Lydia Martin and someone Jenna didn't know followed them.  
He heard them, but didn't seem to care. Until he smelled them. He definitelly… smelled something. He turned his head to them.

Danielle didn't know whether he can see, but she knew he recognized her. The rest couldn't be sure, only she didn't doubt he's looking at her if he's looking at all. She didn't move. What was he thinking? Did he feel something? Could he feel anything at all? Or would he have simply love to do with her as with the others, if he could?  
And then… he just left.

To make matters even more surprising, someone rang the bell when Jenna was getting ready to sleep, at home for once, despite it meant the need to endure shared room with Scott.  
Isaac.  
Derek, his own alpha, kicked him out and he had nowhere to go.


	5. Chapter 5

**NOTE: **_Baiscally talking chapter, but important. And guys, I'm almost done, I sent the request for attorney registration!_

* * *

"Scott! Who is it? Or you know what? I don't care who is it, I kill him either way!" Jenna set out while she run down the stairs. Someone really had to bother them so late while she tried to fall asleep before Scott climbs to bed and starts snoring and their mother was still in the hospital, so they had to open the door and deal with the botherer themselves?  
But then she noticed who stood in the door.  
Isaac's shoulders were down, he fiddled with the sleeve of his sweater and looked uncertain rather than look wretched. She stopped in the middle of the stairs, only in her underwear and long shirt.  
"Derek kicked him out of his place," Scott told her little stingy.  
"Doesn't matter. I go elsewhere," Isaac mumbled and avoided her eyes even more than Scott's.  
"Where? Do you have a place?"  
"I'll find something, let it go."  
Isaac started to back from the door. He didn't look like a werewolf now. He didn't look like beta. More like a boy who was slapped by the reminder that he's a burden. And Jenna thought he slipped into this role easily. Like he knew it well enough. She immediately felt ashamed. If he was here, he definitelly had no other place. And she couldn't send him to the park. If the alpha had no sense, someone else needed to take care about the beta. It used to be her in Paul's pack. That or chew Paul out like some naughty puppy. Alpha had responsibility and he needed to realize it at least in some matters.  
"No, wait. I didn't mean it."  
She walked down the last steps and joined them.  
"Come. What happened?"

The three of them sat in the kitchen. Isaac looked into the table and wasn't really about to talk. Jenna doubted Derek trashed him so much. Someone else beat him into this frightened form long ago. Parents can do it so effectively.  
"Scott, make him tea. Or coffee. Or whatever you want. He, not you, bro," she commanded. "And you, speak. Why did he do it?"  
Scott got up without thinking and turned the kettle on.  
"He just… told me it's not working anymore. That he and Cora are too much now."  
"What? His apartment is like our house!" Scott wondered. He was sure three people would fit in there. Isaac's not demanding. They never let him be demanding at home  
"I asked him what did I do. I wanted him to explain, but he just threw a glass on me. He made me to listen. He truly acted like even bigger jerk than usual. So I went away. I hoped..."  
"Sure you can stay here if you don't have anything else," Jenna reacted before her brother. They didn't have much spare space and there was nothing to do with that. However, she had no problem to pay for food, even for his. Isaac looked much relieved.  
"Thanks. I… don't understand."  
"You know maybe… Hales can be crazy, but I don't think he did it just because. They are not crazy… in such way. I and Danny think Deucalion could want him to kill his betas and join them. He did that too. Perhaps… he thinks it's safer," Jenna suggested.  
"Somebody needs to do something about them. But they are so fucking strong… how did you split the twins today?"  
"As I said to Scott. I lived with a pack. I know my way around werewolves."  
Jenna shrugged. It wasn't the whole truth, but it could do. "And also… they weren't after me and he appeared in the same moment. They wanted you. You if you started it. You have to be careful now."  
Then she got up.  
"And someone has to sleep on the couch. We don't have enough beds and I won't give up mine."  
"Couch is enough..." Isaac said. But Jenna decided to seize the opportunity. Isaac maybe doesn't snore. And if he does, it can't be worse.  
"No way. It's not right for a guest to sleep on the couch, right Scott? You'll guard downstairs."  
Then she run upstairs and threw her brothers pillow and blanket over the railing. Scott was speechles. Was he supposed to feel betrayed that his sister rather moved a strange werewolf in her room than him? Like he was snoring or something!

But Jenna didn't think about how much was Isaac a stranger. In fact, she didn't think much. Mostly because once she finally got to bed, she fought with another annoying creaking in her head and tried to hide it from Isaac. She was either succesful or Isaac didn't dare to ask why was she suddenly tense and breathed frantically. Sure, Derek, twins and pack were problem. They were alphas. Although they didn't murder anyone here yet, everybody said they are murdereres. But something else, a true murderer lurked around. Ritual murderer. Druidish murderer as Stiles and others discovered. Who just murdered mister Harris.

The following morning was chaotic as Jenna expected but she noticed Isaac's self esteem was up again. He had a place to sleep, he had food, nobody yelled at him and if he was used to the drooping shoulders and being a doormat, it meant a lot. So the shine returned to his eyes. And the last McCall home. Specifically Melissa who Jenna met face to face after she left her room and Isaac a moment after her.  
"...why does Scott sleep on the couch and you two upstairs alone?"  
"We slept each on separate bed, only in the same room," Jenna rolled her eyes.  
"And why did you each slept on separate bed in the same room?"  
"...so we were supposed to sleep toghether?" Jenna asked her mother. Then she noticed Isaac having a pretty good fun. Of course Scott came running to explain what's going on. Only Melissa didn't need to hear anything after her night shift.  
"You know what, I'm not asking. Just tell me if some arrows and claws are to appear and you don't fall pregnang," and she closed the door of her bedroom. She needed a shower and sleep after her long work day.

Scott looked from the closed door at Jenna and Isaac.  
"What, some comment? We know what are we doing," Jenna patted Isaac's shoulder and run to the bathroom before some of them occupied it first. She wasn't sure what was it suppose to mean. After Paul, she spent few weeks locked from the world and thought she's done for life at the end of her puberty. She wanted to forget him, she tried. But then she said screw it. She knew it's impossible to forget him as Hale in Beacon Hills, so another instinct was to suppress it all. Could this be the result? The phase when it looks like it works and she tries to keep it so desperately she flirts with others? Maybe. She also definitely didn't want pity. And look depressed wouldn't bring anything but pity. And of course it didn't take long after her arrival for blood flowing and claws gnashing while she's near the middle of it all just because her brother's right in there, so she had enough to do and think about, no drowning in New Orleans.

She just heard through the door Scott telling Isaac to leave his sister alone because she doesn't deserve trouble with werewolf or anyone really now. That was… brotherly? She didn't think Isaac could bring worse trouble howerver. Even if she took him to school for example, where she… noticed the rest of them finding out what happened with their teacher.

Danny had enough to do too. She planned to find more about the mysterious darach for the rest of the previous day, but she didn't have much records about druids and she even didn't open them. She tried to clear what's happening at first as always, take the main points, find a trend and then the evidence. Sometimes she worked like sheriff's son, but it suited her. And she wasn't able to focus anyway. She was sure he recognized her. Perhaps he could even see her. She had no idea whether did his condition change, but she herself helped to partly save his wolf sight. That was the last time she tried to help him. The last time she could. If she knew what'd he do… if was useless. She helped him, he built a lunatic alpha pack, came back and searches for more. Dangerously close to Scott and Jenna.

And today it was her duties that didn't leave her much time. She needed to pick up her cat from the vet this afternoon and until then patients in Eichen House awaited her. Like Lori. Quite sad case. Twenty-nine years old woman, mentally eight and her fits sent her even deeper. It wasn't because of her identity or anything about it. Simple developmental issue like milions other cases in the world. She could live happily in some nice institution. Her family could afford it. Only she couldn't control her congenital supernatural side during her fits, so she ended up in Eichen House. Far from a nice institution. It bothered Danny from the begining but what could she do. They were glad for every long-term employee or few thousands from the budget. They couldn't rely on donations from patients' families, that'd never cover all essencial expanses. The less the non-essencial. A lot of them even didn't have a family, or they gave them up for their disability or crimes… or worse. Lori's family did donate. Upon her admission. For Eichen House to silently pretend she had nothing in common with them.  
But if Lori didn't have a tantrum, she was harmless… woman physically, girl mentally, who could leave her room and spend some time in the common room with others fit to get out of their four walls, but she rather stayed inside. Needed to say, not many such patients stayed in Eichen House. Lori, Jason, mister Morris if he behaved, Meredith. The rest locked murderers or… animals. No reason to beat around the bush. Danny just didn't think it's right to treat them as animals and let them live as animals. Why would anyone try to change if he's an animal in the eyes of the world?

"What are you folding, Lori?"  
It was a regular inspeciton. If she could, she rather spoke to those who met her voluntarily in their rooms. Their surroundings. Where they felt safer than in her office.  
"Paper plane," the… girl answered. She didn't look like a girl, until she spoke. Then everyone noticed the child inside.  
"How is it going?"  
Lori didn't answer at once. If she couldn't do something, she usually started to get angry and another uncontrolable tantrum came.  
"I know what happened to mister Hayes. I heard him."  
"Oh. Really? Or you heard nurses to talk about it?"  
Lori could hardly hear Hayes' fight with himself through all the safety paneling and the distance between their rooms. However this event certainly served as a source for many gossips among staff and patients.  
"Oh yeah. You always know I don't tell the truth, do you? But I still see what you think."  
"I'm interested then, Lori. I had no clue you can read minds."  
"You all think I'm nuts."  
So again. As often with others. Few minutes of persuasion she can't call herself nuts, she only needs help, work on herself and focus. Or with those who commited all the crimes to admit what and why happened. Saying yes would mean the end of discussion. Mostly forever. And then make her to talk about how does she felt today, whether she got angry, got everything she needed and move on. It usually weren't long interviews. She always just waited for Lori to tell her the same details of her day. She didn't need therapy, she needed to grow up, which won't happen.

"And do you think I'm pretty?"  
This question caught Danny unprepared. Lori never cared for this. She cared for crayons or toys. She liked simple puzzle. Although she was pretty. If she combed her hair. Or if you didn't look into her eyes.  
"I think you'd be even more pretty if you didn't draw on your hands."  
"He think's I am. He likes to watch me."  
"Hm… who likes to watch you?"  
She definitely didn't like this. All the employees were prepared to work with supernatural creatures as well as with mentally ill. The orderlies especially weren't people she'd like to meet outside her work, nor the head physician was her favorite, but they needed bit different sort of staff than your usual institution. After all, their disagreeable side often made them to lose sympathy for patients, sometimes hate them and of course refuse to do more than their basic duties. Not notice them even more. So who? Could it be Jason? He hit puberty. Could it be necessary to restrain his freedom?  
"Mister Schrader. He likes me."  
"When did he watch you? Where?"  
But Lori didn't answer. She continued to fold her plane and repeated he likes her.  
"If he watches you again, I want you to tell me, yes?"  
Schrader? The orderlie? She thought he had the patiens for scum and someone failed to teach him wash his hair. She didn't like talking to him. He cerainly wasn't married and she didn't know about his girlfried. He didn't shine socially. Could he abuse his position and compensate for it?

But when she came to doctor Fenris with Lori's statement, according to the policy to report everything out of par, he gave her not really surprising reaction.  
"The adult child, right. Did someone else complained? Did you see him do it? Do we have anything more reliable than person unable to realistically evaluate what's going on?"  
"No doctor, I just thought it necessary to report."  
"So you did. I hope you didn't anticipate me to fire an orderlie because of vague mention of a child with big fantasy? Come to me with something specific. I'm not saying Schrader looks credible, but neither does Lori. The last time she raged was in the library. She didn't find a book she read a hundred times that doesn't exist at all. Tell me rather what do you know about Hayes' motives."  
Danny didn't expect punishment for Schrader. Or a new precaution. In fact, orderlies and nurses got away with a lot here, since they were unable to find new ones. Nor did she believe Lori just like that. She wasn't stupid. Children can dream up anything in any body. Or wrongly interpret. Only she wasn't about to ignore it.  
"A werewolf in the town," she answered vaguely, but truthfully. Albeit she wasn't sure a sudden rush of power of several alphas crazed the animals or darach had its share. "A strong alpha apparently."  
"This town is damned Mekka of werewolves."  
"It shouldn't happen again. No further animal attacks, it seems everything got used to it. And Hayes was very sensitive."  
Fenris nodded.  
"One pice of advice. I don't know what pushes… your kind specifically," as always, he noted her witchcraft, "but if you jump into everything so seriously, you'll go mad yourself eventually. Pure experience."

She knew this advice very well from the first moment. Forget helping anyone if you are done yourself. And she believed he meant it. They didn't have to like each other, but every capable employee was important for Fenris. It just seemed to her he followed it too much. He was closer to prison guard than doctor. And there was more for her than dead Hayes and Lori.  
For example, she had to pick up Lynx from doctor Deaton on her way home. The cat seemed rather grumpy and she didn't like a bit the huge collar around her neck preventing her from ripping out her stitches. She wasn't able to stand on her paw for some time still and that didn't make her any happier. Nor Danny if it meant the need to carry this overgrown Maine tiger everywhere. She also didn't fit into her crate with the collar, so she sat right on the passanger seat and frowned on the town until they got Matt from school – Danielle still refused to let him out by himself, Aurora from daycare and then in front of Danielle's house. Then they all noticed two people sitting on the stairs to the patio. Jenna. And it wasn't Scott for once. Only the second half of their hardly separable duo.

"What about you two here?"  
"We couldn't get inside. Well we could get inside, the patio or the bench there I mean, we didn't try to break in of course, but I kind of didn't really want to stay there and Jenna said it's special safety measure. The freakest one I saw. Felt. Whatever. Hey, the tiger is home? She looks like martini. Tigrini."  
Stiles got up and watched Danny to pull Lynx out of car. He tried to pet her too, but Lynx hissed at him as if she undrestood he insulted her.  
"And why did you want to get inside?"  
"We want to find everything about darach."  
Danny left the kids out of the car too, they immediatelly run to the front door, and she looked around the street. She saw nothing on the spot she guessed a bush or a person at night. Nobody watched her this afternoon?

"Good idea. I hadn't enought time yet. By the way the teacher-"  
"I told him. It's terribly… it's insensitive, but it's annoying to hear it every time. Worse than migraine."  
"It is annoying," Danny agreed with Jenna and let them both into the house. Stiles didn't feel uneasy and ready to run this time. He entered with her permission, so the safety spell didn't work on him for now. They both settled in the kitchen, Lynx on her couch backrest, Danny get the bestiary and grimoire from the safe in her workroom and put them down on the table in front of them with a thud.  
"Wow. I've never seen this, it's book of spells, magic encyclopedia or OUCH!"  
Stiles reached for grimoire, but when he wanted to open it, he felt severe pain and dropped it.  
"...you told Derek truth!"  
"Yeah. I told it burns you. Hand under water."  
Jenna just rolled her eyes and opened the grimoire. No problem with her.  
"So I'm supposed to look over her shoulder since only your family can touch it?" Stiles objected. He didn't imagine the search like this. He couldn't do it that way. He needed to frenetically browse books or webpages until something strikes.  
"For grimoire, not even that. Only my female bloodline. This spell is bind to it from the start, from the first author. So it doesn't fall into other hands than our witches. Daughters always inherit it."  
"Wait a moment, what if you didn't have a daughter?" Stiles asked and cooled his fingers under the tap water.  
"It'd be Melissa and Jenna."  
"What if Melissa didn't have a daughter?"  
"Some cousin or someone. We have uncle and mamá has cousins over the border."  
"And what if nobody in your family had a daughter?"  
"Stiles, why you always think about the most complicated scenario?"  
Stiles shrugged and let Danny take out ointment for burns.  
"We can perform the blood ritual of kinship and pass it on other witch, if you need to know. You can search the other one, it doesn't harm you, it's mine only. How much chilaquiles should I make?"

Jenna mumbled she rather orders pizza, but Stiles sniffed and forgot his burnt hand.  
"Like really homemade… hm… mexican… dish? Like home made homemade?"  
"No like the one that fell from Mars. You want stay for dinner? I use a little chilli and add vegetables."  
"Where you all get the time to learn to cook? I'd need that. Mexican food, whatever. So dad doesn't eat the same all the time, like fast food or leftovers. He needs regular energy intake as the sheriff. As long as he is the sheriff. If we find nothing about the darach and who is it, he doesn't have to remain for long. I can't let it happen. But of course he'd need to eat afterwards too."  
Since the death of Stiles' mother, it was complicated with the Stilinski household management. And especially after sheriff Stilinsky finally decided to turn to his son rather than the bottle, Stiles tried to care about him. But his cooking wasn't as good asi his supernatural detective work.  
"I take it as a lot so we have a portion for sheriff too."  
And Danny sent him back to Jenna to hurry her to turn pages faster. Then his phone rang.

"Ehm… Scott just met the Deucalion when he was at Allison's," Stiles announced into the room and Jenna looked at Danny. "Damn, the alphas live above Argents? It's definitely not a coincidence, don't tell me they don't know who Argents are! But… he's ok. Damn. Why did this town have to go crazy?"  
Nobody liked this news. And Scott of course didn't tell them the most important. That Derek's pack and Cora plan an attack… and he wants to meet Deucalion once again to try to end their conflict. Let alone let them know how badly it all ends.

Therefore Stiles and Jenna spent quite a long time bend over the grimoire and then the dinner. Oddly enough, they didn't fight and despite Jenna had to brake Stiles' wild theories several times, they managed to cooperate. Only if the result was as pleasing.  
"So we found out the mistletoe in the victims doesn't have to be used as a poison."  
"It makes sense, don't you think? If it goes through your system, it releases the poison. But if you use it for magical ritual, it releases magic instead. Dark magic in this case."  
Jenna saw the sense in that. Plants belong to magic.  
"So it uses figurative poison instead of literall. But kills you all the same. If the lunatic who planted it won't do it first. I don't see a big difference. But we at least know that although there is a lot about mistletoe and human sacrifices, there's nothing linking it together in the grimoir. No druidish recipes. Honestly, if I didn't see you go down right in front of me during the murders who knows where, you'd be among my main suspects. No offence, logical conclusion."  
"I understand," Danny shrugged Stiles' confession. "I'd be able to do such ritual. Well if I decided to go to the dark side. But it'd have to be worth it."  
"This… not-druid thinks it's worth it. But how do we find who is it if we don't know worth what? When you sacrifice people, when anyone ever sacrificed people, it was to someone or something and in exchange for something. Power? Power to do what? Grrr this is frustrating! Can't we just crank some magicolocator?"  
Danny laughed. "I wish it was so easy. I can magically find something only if I know what am I looking for. And other conditions. For now our conclusion with Deaton is it's someone new – and awful lot of candidates came to the town lately, or someone fundamentally changed – no lack of such, and last but not least someone wanting to do harm or revenge which… is basically the whole supernatural community of Beacon Hills."  
Stiles sighted.  
"Do you have colored papers and some board?"

In the end, Stiles disappeared home with his improvised notice board and box of food but Jenna stayed overnight. Lacross players were to go for intercity match the next day and since Scott and Isaac both played, Jenna didn't want to listen to their plans and strategies of the game. And refused to get up early on saturday just because they were leaving in the morning. She had no idea about their state. She had no idea what happened in the abandoned mall nerby where the packs clashed.

She rather agreed to babysit Matt and Aurora the next day while Danny needed to go to Eichen House and do some errands. It was nothing difficult. Matt still couldn't go out unattended, which he considered great injustice, he didn't do anything after all, but was again bribed by the computer. Not the best activity, but the easiest. And werewolf hardly messes up his eyes by looking at screen. Aurora plunged into her corner with dollhouse and small children table. Jenna noticed there's some kind of ochrid hanging above and given the reluctance of Aurora to leave her favorite spot, it occured to her whether it affects her. And whether Danny made it on purpose. Jenna herself decided to continue her research of spells and supernatural matters and dived into it completely. Until Aurora showed her her picture.  
"Well, very nice. Who is it?" she asked because several figures drawn from sticks with wild hair and huge eyes weren't really to be identified. She barely thought the two tallest whom Aurora attributed red doodle and black knot of wool on their heads could be her mother and aunt.  
"We. Mommy, auntie," Aurora confirmed her assumptions, "I, Matty," she pointed at the two smallest figures, one with black and one with green eyes, "you," a figure looking like Aurora draw it twice, second time over the first try because she didn't have an eraser, "and Scotty," she finished with a figure with big red eyes. Jenna looked at the picture. Not that children drawings were realistic art, but this one was definitelly odd.  
"Well done! Only Scott has dark eyes. Gold sometimes," she admitted.  
"I know how are his eyes."  
"Yeah, like aunt Melissa's."  
"Scotty has red!" Aurora frowned.  
"You saw them?"  
"Yes! He has red!"  
"Okay, red. What about drawing one more and we pin them both on the fridge?"  
Jenna didn't want to argue with her. Children sometimes surely could think the grass is purple and argue to tears. Standing on the grass. But Scott and red eyes? That sounded too… specific. Scott… and alpha? Does she just have a wild imagination or… it could happen?

But then the second charge jumped into her thoughts. He held angrily looking Lynx. Wonder he could even hold the giant.  
"Ehm… there's a guy on the driveway and Lynx started to claw the door like crazy. She's not supposed to walk too much yet. And it's not the Scott's wacky friend like yesterday. Some adult."  
Only two scenarios occured to Jenna at the moment. She liked neither of them.

Danny truly went to Eichen House at first. To make quick stock-taking of her office. Her colleague who shared it left for sick father two days ago and doctor Fenris insisted on submission of request for the office and medical supplies of each doctor monthly to the date. Danny forget it yesterday and really didn't want to improvise to the next month. Even then she didn't drive home, however. For reason she wasn't sure about. And couldn't muse about it for long. There were two options. Hesitate or act. Think utnil she gives up or headlessly go. As always.

She parked her car and tried to enter the apartment building. She elicited the adress from Jenna. She luckily knew it, she didn't feel like asking Scott about this one. But the entrance was locked. A chromed keybord shone on her. It wanted the access code. She cursed and looked at the doorbells. She avoided the one labeled as Argent and chose some Mrs. Peterson. At home hopefully. She needed her to get down. She surely couldn't convince her to say the code through intercom.  
"Yes? Who is it please?" elderly voice sounded. The better, Danny thought.  
"Excuse me, I hate to disrupt, but I found a letter lying in front of your house, for the name of Chirs Argent? I don't see a letter box here and Argents don't respond. Could you pick it up and leave it at least inside? It's with a police stamp, looks important."  
Danny used naive, caring feminine voice and quickly made up a scenario interesting for old Mrs. Peterson.  
"I'll be there in a moment dear."  
And once the lady opened the door, Danny, holding a fist of fine powder instead of letter, blew against her. When the powder got into Mrs. Peterson's eyes, the old woman staggered, slowly collapsed and Danny helped her to sit on the floor. Now she didn't need her to remember anything. Which she would't be able to after she woke up in few minutes. She used this trick during the college for receptionists and campus security all the time, she'd be able to prepare it blindfolded. Then she took the elevator into the last floor. Their door wasn't labelled as their doorbell. But only one apartment occupied this floor. She headed right to it. Unlike the entrance, it was unlocked.

"I see, Jenna McCall, right? Or Hale if punctual."  
The said guy on the driveway looked irritated after Jenna came out of the door. He certainly didn't want to talk or whatever with her. But she understood from his reaction who was it. Only her name wasn't legally Hale, they were minors back then and didn't care to ask the court to allow their marriage. Moreover, her father wouldn't had allow it. It wasn't important for the pack and the rest of the community anyway, since they joined otherwise. They saw her as such. Then and there. Almost nobody knew in Beacon Hills.  
"If punctual. Not that it matters. Or is this a family visit? Peter Hale, right?" Paul told her few things about him. She didn't doubt Derek told him about her.  
"I have to admit you have quite fit into our family with your crowning piece. He could choose better but still behind Derek's choice. I want to talk with your aunt."  
"Okay?" Jenna didn't intend to make it easier for him. For one, she knew he didn't really like her aunt since she stabbed him with wolfsbane, and for second, he just offended her by comparing her to Kate Argent. Paul told her about her and Derek too. Therefore Peter went back to the stairs to the patio and stopped in frustration.  
"Can you undo this nonsense and call her here?"  
Jenna also reached the stairs so she stood above him. They were separated by security spell. That angered him very much. He found something he simply wasn't able to overcome.  
"I didn't launch the spell so I can't undo it."  
"So where the hell is she?" he growled so angry it sounded inhuman and hit the invisible barrier. No, he was angry because of something else. And it seemed serious. Not like a safe visit.  
They both heard door open behind Jenna. Aurora went out.  
"Away. And you go away too."  
But Peter looked at Aurora peeking curiously from behind Jenna.  
"If she doesn't know, what about you telling me where's your mom?"  
"I told you to go!" Jenna growled too. Inhuman. And Peter inadvertenly stepped back. Then he surprised looked at her with his electric blue wolf eyes.  
"You..."  
He couldn't believe what he saw. Nor did he like it. She had no right for this! He stopped and his anger was at it's peak. He didn't posses his full strength yet, but still showed his claws. Did she try to use against him what did she steal from them? What did she steal from him?!

"I'd offer you something but… I'm not quite as good in kitchen anymore," Danielle heard after she entered the unlocked apartment. In fact, she didn't know what and mainly who to expect. If she thought about it more, she'd scold herself for carelessness. But she knew this voice. Once. Now it was as unknow for her as for everyone else.  
"You knew I'm here."  
Deucalion nodded. He stood in not a small lobby leaning on his white cane.  
"You watched me."  
"You noticed?"  
Now Danielle nodded. She didn't mention Aurora knew it first.  
"Then it was a poor job from Ennis. I just wondered if you stayed in the town."  
He closed to her. He knew where she stood, he didn't need the cane at all. Danny didn't move though. She didn't come here only to run again. She came to… She just wanted to do something. Anything. Not wait for things to solve or break down as Melissa. Threaten? Warn? It'd sound ridiculous aloud. Unlikely face to face. So make sure?  
"Still so brave? I haven't heard anyone's heart beat so calmly and without fear for a long time."  
"Should I be afraid? Of you? Or the others?" she quickly overlooked the lobby. Nobody else stood there. Her brain should tell her about fear. Whether he could hurt her or not. Nothing prevented the rest of the pack.  
"You accidentally found me home alone. Our emissary is now working with the others."  
"So you even found an emissary. Someone mad enough or just with no choice?"  
Deucalion shrugged. "There was no large selection, we take what is offered. She couldn't be compared to you."  
"I am a witch, you now that. Nobody can be compared to it." But witch also wasn't an emissary. That he knew as well. So that's why he let her come here? The unlocked door wasn't an accident, he knew about her. He wanted her there.  
"Everyone can play any role he wants with us. It's useless to follow rules just because they were followed in the past. As well as follow useless alpha. Haven't you thought about it?"  
Danny… was actually convinced about it. Since he killed his pack, since vampires went crazy, since she told herself it didn't matter what label she took. The world was much larger than her family and coven, larger than customs. Yes, it was time to take it into account. There were plenty of ways.  
"Your abilities with our pack would ensure a big power."  
He was right. The stronger the pack, the more power for the emissary. If he seized it. Or if they couldn't prevent him.

"You are offering me a place I didn't take years ago. Now with selling myself to the darkness. For power."  
"That is rather exaggerated. I'd call it liberation."  
"Not for me. I'd have to do it." Work with evil would mean… To give up her own values, give up the light, give up her conscience. Only then nothing would hold her from using the worst kind of magic. From monstrosity. Not witch anymore, almost a demon. She'd have no limits. They'd have no limits together.  
"We all had to make sacrifices."  
It was almost a conversational tone. Almost slightly curious. As if he didn't care, as if it didn't mean anything.  
"That's really an offer? You know I won't do it."  
Deucalion cocked his head. She couldn't see through his glasses if there were wolf eyes or he just knew she's right there.  
"You used to wish for power. Learn as much as possible. Master as much as possible."  
"I changed. We both did. Why did you come back? Derek Hale? There are way stronger alphas." Derek's small pack certainly didn't get him to the top.  
"Let's say I sense potential in this town. Your family for example, always a big potential."  
Then he smiled, reached out and genly made her look into his eyse behind the glasses. She still wasn't afraid. She even didn't feel the much familiar quiver from the past. Or the abyss between them deepened by his words swallowed it.  
"Well, yours..."

Jenna kept her eyes on him, eyes where he saw bright red tint, and fought off his hand by her own hand, around which he noticed flickering silhouette of werewolf claws. Before he could attack, she grabbed him by the throat as the twins. He felt more than just brute strenght from her.  
"This didn't belong to him! You can't just steal it and take over!"  
"You are wrong. Power doesn't wait. He wasn't the oldest, but he built a pack. Big one. Stronger with every beta. The power of Hale's alpha was his. And we bonded. One soul. You know what it means. I feel what he feels. He has what I have. I stole nothing from him. Not even like you did from Laura. The alpha in me is still him. And every other Hale before him. I'll tell her you were here."  
She let fairly shocked Peter fall and headed back to the house.

Danielle gripped the wrist of his hand that held her. Cold was filling her. What did he feel? She had no idea. She doubted he could feel anything. He killed his own betas. He killed more. And if he meant to take Matt's power since the pack is like a family and family as a pack for werewolf… he's small, he has no power yet… does he have potential? That was the reason he was supposed to remain secret. Deucalion couldn't hurt her. Their connection was too strong, even now he couldn't dig his claws into her skin, so she didn't need to fear. They were still unable to cross this line, even as alpha of alphas and she as a witch on whatever side. This one between them. If he wanted to threaten by another line though…  
"You touch him… you or your werewolves… him, Scott or Jenna, and I will find a way to break this link. And your neck with it."


	6. Chapter 6

**NOTE: **_Way to spook myself in the end writing it at night. I just want to say, that I truly went through sleep paralysis several times and the eyes are also from my real experience. Through the window in my room at my parents, I see two stars very, very close to each other and in such weird angle it simply looks like two eyes behind my window. Thinking about it now, maybe I can sometimes use some of my worst nightmares, that stuff is ready for Teen Wolf._

* * *

Melissa McCall didn't feel good for work tonight at all. The terrible sound in her head barely faded away and it was bad in itself, let alone knowing it meant someones murder without the possiblity to interfere, because she had no clue where and whose and the police would send her home as some crazy psychic. Then an avalanche came. There was a mass accident, one injured after another was brought in the hospital, the staff was on the brink of madness and doctor Hilyard didn't come despite being on-call. Melissa only dreaded she knew why, but again, she couldn't say it. She'd look like a loon and then, after they'd find her, like a suspect. Only Scott lifted her mood in this chaos a bit with late dinner, and then Hilyard herself when she called she's in a traffic jam caused by the accident. But she wasn't completely relieved. Someone did die. She only hoped it'd be the only one tonight. She didn't know where to go first. Every new patient needed immediate attention with injured head, glass everywhere in their body, broken bones, cut limbs in better and stomach in worse case. And two young boys suddenly bursted into the door and all the mess, one of them white and fainting, the other one panicking and shouting they need help.

Scott instantly jumped out of the chair where he sat next to lightly injured woman waiting for treatment. Once he noticed Ethan dragging his classmate Danny looking ready to collapse, anger started to bubble out of him. He didn't doubt it's Ethan's work. He didn't doubt he'd be able to do it. Alpha twin who showed more then enough already. But Scott's mother run to them.  
"He talked about chest pain and he couldn't breath," Ethan explained, "but… it's still worse."  
"That doesn't look good." Melissa quickly checked Danny's neck, listened to his breath and carefuly touched his chest. "His larynx moved, his chest is too tense, it seems like tension pneumothorax."  
And then, Melissa barely stepped aside, Danny vomited. Dense black substance full of white berries. Mistletoe.  
Danny needed an immediate medical intervention. His life was at stake. Poison clearly, but also worse injuries. But all doctors had enough to do, doctor Hilyard still miles away and nobody had enough time to pay attention to another sick kid and Melissa. So Melissa dragged all three of them to on of the rooms. She noticed Danny's lung's about to collapse so he couldn't breath. Air was leaking into his chest and the increasing pressure could soon overcome his heart and there was not much for her to do. But she couldn't just let him die either. There was no time to think. She handed necessary tools to the boys and stabbed a big syringe into Danny, so the air started to finaly go out of his chest.  
"That's it? That'll help?" Ethan looked at him, worried. He didn't seem guilty. More honestly terrified.  
"For now. He needs a doctor, but it should help before some of them gets to him. The pressure is released, so his organs won't collapse. But they need to get him together."  
"Mom, that was awesome."  
"Nothing special. But now let me alone with him, I prepare him for proper treatment and he needs rest in this state. You can try it in the morning," she showed both werewolves off the door. And they, once they stood in the hallway, shoot lightning bolts from their eyes. Until Ethan broke the tension.  
"Look, it wasn't me, I didn't do anything to him. I don't know what happened. And the mistletoe… I don't understand."  
"Randomly when he was with you? Since the first day, you was glued to Danny and your brother to Lydia and I'm to believe there was no ulterior motive?"  
"That has nothing… we were supposed to find out how to get to you, who is ideal for it. But we know now it's not Danny and we are… friends."  
Scott swallowed all the half formulated remarks how Danny had no idea who he believed is his friend. He didn't know about werewolves. "You let Lydia alone too."  
"Aiden doesn't intend to harm her."  
"And Deucalion?"  
"She's just… a fuse."  
Then Ethan looked around the hallway. "I wouldn't worry about her. Look rather for your family." And he left him with that. As a member of the alpha pack, he had the same goal as Deucalion. He was the alpha and had some life finally only thanks to him. That didn't mean he agreed with everything, however. He didn't use to be a killer, he didn't use to sow fear, he didn't use to have the label of maniac and he wasn't sure he liked this role now.

Then Scott went out too. He already accepted he's in danger as well as Derek, but his family? If Deucalion intended to make him become alpha and part of his pack by threatening to his family… or it wasn't just a threat? The thing Jenna did with the twins… or he still didn't know whether aunt Danny knew more than she told them.  
He met sheriff Sitlinsky by the entrance. He stood by the reception desk and asked for doctor Hilyard, because they just found her abandoned car. Scott heard they called Hilyard several times while she was supposed to be on her way, but she didn't arrive where she promised and then she didn't pick up her phone at all. So he called Jenna and went to Stiles.

Jenna and Isaac arrived to Stilinski house last. Jenna was supposed to be at home for this night and listened Isaacs horror story about their journey to the lacross match. As they found out, darach filled couch's whistle with wolfsbane causing serious halluciantions to werewolves and since the couch loves to use his whistle whenever he can, they all were under it's influence and tried to commit suicide in one motel where they stopped for the night. Jenna wasn't sure if she should have been there or if she'd commit crazy things too so it was safer to grab Peter Hale for his neck that day. Which she told Isaac too and he stated he always misses the best things. Then she finally understood why was Peter even there. He thought the alphas killed Derek because he disappeared after the fight between them and his pack, seriously injured. Peter was sure Danielle knew something about it. Them. No success, but Derek luckily wasn't dead. But they were interrupted by another death resonating again in her head. And her brother's call not much longer after.

Scott waited by Stiles' with Stiles and his improved notice-board with all the informations about alphas and darach they gathered. He also summarized what happened in the hospital.  
"Huh, we were on the right track, I knew it. Methaporical poison. Darach tried to bewitch Danny."  
"With Ethan there and minimal chance not to be noticed?" Scott opposed Stiles. Ethan had no idea what happened to Danny. If he wasn't part of it, it was sincere.  
"We found it's possible to infuse the body with magic instead of poison using mistletoe. Maybe it was supposed to be preparation of Danny as the next victim. And it didn't work because Ethan helped him or something like that."  
"We at least know darach killed this night, so why not, he's obviously hunting," Isaac shrugged.  
"Yeah, that hospital doctor."  
"Wait, Scott told me she was alive about twenty minutes before he called me," Jenna objected. "And the one who died, did so earlier."  
Isaac nodded in agreement. If darach kidnapped the doctor, she was still alive.  
"So we have one unknown victim, failed attempt with Danny and missing doctor. We have to accept the fact we had no idea where was she taken and probably won't find her. Nevertheless. What connects them?" Isaac followed Jenna. But they ended there. Nobody knew who was the first victim, they knew nothing about the doctor and had no idea what did she and Danny have in common.  
"Deaton said… there are different groups of victims. Virgins, it was already here, warriors… he talked about healers too!" Stiles remembered. "Doctor definitely is a healer."  
"Yeah, but dude, Danny hardly is," Scott objected.  
"Danny… didn't die, did he? And nobody strangled him, cut him… what if Ethan lies and he did it?"  
"I don't think so. He didn't lie with this. And why would he give him mistletoe? Danny is not such moron to eat so much of it."  
"Maybe we should abandon the premise that darach puts spells only upon his victims. Maybe Danny get to something he shouldn't have so he tried to get rid of him?" Jenna suggested. "And he plans different victim."  
There was silence for a moment.  
"Danny..."  
"Stiles, Jenna's theory seems more plausible," Scott tried again. Danny was no healer. He didn't plan to study medicine. He never worked in hospital. As far as Scott knew, he never cared about sick grandma. Well, he didn't know that, but he'd bet on it. But Stiles interrupted him.  
"No, I mean Danny. And Melissa. They are also healers!"

Then radio on Stiles' desk hissed and they heard the voice of police dispatcher.  
"You still monitor sheriff's calls?"  
"Can you think about less appropriate moment for not monitoring than now?" Stiles waved his hands to silence them all and add the volume. The dispatcher announced the finding of a body to sheriff and Stiles' father assured her he's on his way.  
"Crime scene secured, I send you pictures. No ID. The deputy reported a phone, last calls from today to the same number."  
"Identity? I check it, I'm on my way from the hospital."  
Sheriff apparently thought about the same as the quaternion of spies. Whomever he tried to call, he had to know him. They could identify him even wihtout ID. It had to be today's victim of darach.  
"Danielle Delgado. I send you the adress."  
There was no need. All of them knew it.

"Sheriff? I hope you are not comming for another dinner at this time?" Danielle opened her door wrapped in her housecoat. She was surprised a little to see man in an uniform behind it. But not completely. First, she knew sheriff Stilinsky, there were times she babysat his son and Scott, and second, she knew someone died. Only, if he came to her, she feard who was it.  
"I wish to go here for dinner," sheriff answered and stopped. It didn't sound as he indended. "I mean… compared to what I have to ask you."  
"Something going on? Come in," Danielle decided to ignore his discomfort, stepped aside and let him in. So he didn't feel anything strange and didn't want to quickly go back out. They stayed in the hall by the stairs. Danny lit a lamp. Sheriff took his phone and showed her the picture he recieved from the station.  
"Do you recognize him?"  
The man's eyes were closed, hands tied above his head and he almost didn't reach to the ground. No wound on his neck, no strangulation grooves, yet he was dead according to the police tape and the lack of paramedics.  
"Trevor? I mean… doctor Jenkins? Yes, when..." but she didn't have to ask. Tonight. Tonight's spasm, tonight's gride when darach diverted the natural magical currents again and released evil into them.  
"We found him tonight. How did you know him?"  
"My colleague from Eichen House. We share the office, well… apparently… whe shared."  
"Did you know him well?"  
"Not really, colleagues… we didn't meet outside work. But that's common there, the staff try to keep their heads clean this way."  
Sheriff nodded even tough he had no idea about the routine in the classified wing. Most people there didn't want to see their colleagues in their free time. Every employee needed to switch off whenever he could and focus on his normal life. The job in psychiatric institue was hard, with non human creatures twice as much. They needed not to be reminded anything behind the safety panneling and unlisted admissions. Pretend that nothing is there. Spending time with colleagues would mean bring the work outsite the grounds in the end, diving deeper into it and then cracking up. So even if it wasn't prohibited to befriend anyone, most of them didn't do that.  
"When did you see him the last time?"  
"Two… actually three days ago. He was supposed to go to his father. He said he's sick, I don't remember specifically. He should be back in monday. We don't have enough people, he wouldn't get more free days."  
"Did he have any problems?"  
"Except sick father? I don't know. He was healthy mentally, at least the head doctor approved. Didn't mention anything. He had a girlfriend… he considered stepping up in their relationship and marry..." Danny answered thoughtfully. Only she didn't try to remember Trevor's possible problems. They were irrelevant. She thought if darach attacked him right after he came back because he selected him. Or if he left the town at all? Did he lie about his father? And why was he killed in a different way? If he hung like this for his hands, it wasn't quick death. First pain in hands, shoulders and chest. Heart failing to pump the blood all the way up to the palms. Huge force tearing the shoulder joints as he was losing his strength. Contusion. Often dislocation. Even bigger pressure for his respiratory system. Even bigger pressure for his heart. Then the loss of sensation. In the end, suffocating. That wasn't an active murder, darach simply let him die in his own, brutal pace. This wasn't threefold death.  
"I'm sorry what… was the question?"  
"When did you speak the last time," sheriff repeated the question that brought him here.  
"The day his vacation started. He called because of some work stuff. But didn't say anything."  
"And tonight?"  
"Beg you pardon?"  
"Did you speak to him tonight?"  
Danny frowned. She understood the purpose of his questions, but this one didn't make any sense to her.  
"I thought he's gone, no, I had no reason. Neither did he."  
"According to the records in his phone, he tried to call you. Tonight."

Now Danny looked at sheriff with genuine surprise. "What? But..." she automatically reached to the pocket of her houseecoat. She didn't find her phone there, of course. "I know nothing… a moment." She grabbed her bag on the table and searched it, then her coat on the hook, then she quickly looked over the kitchen. She also run upstairs with another moment, in the bathroom and looked at the dresser in her bedroom.  
"I can't find my phone… this sounds stupid, but could you call me please? I don't know where did I leave it."  
They listened for a while after sheriff dialed her number. A faint melody sounded from outside trhough the open door. Luckily, Danny used the same rock song from The Who as her ringtone for ten years and that muted racked screamed into the night. From her car as they discovered.  
"It had to fall off my pocket on my way home and I left it there. Yes… here… missed call from doctor Jenkins… Fuck! If he tried to call for help and I could do something… !"  
"Or it could end worse. Don't blame yourself. Only… did he have a reason to call you specifically?"  
She shrugged. She guessed yes. "Maybe I was the last one he called before."  
"Thank you for your help and I'm sorry. Really."  
Danielle nodded. While lights of another car appeard on the driveway behind her mitsubishi. Jeep's lights.  
"Stiles! I'll go crazy because of him, he surely listened to police frequency again!"  
"And you are surprised?"  
"Actually, I'll be surprised after he stops," sheriff confessed.

"Oh, hi dad. We are here totally by chance, I'm taking Scott here, you know?" Stiles jumped out of his car and winked innocently at his father. And another pair of lights illumined them. Sheriff heeled over to see who arrived next and noticed Jenna standing out of the driver seat of silver Camaro.  
"Completely by chance. Your whole inquisition squad, sure. Home."  
"No worry, I just kiss everyone goodnight and jump into the bed before your shift ends, you can go. If… you solved everything you are solving here already, because I really have no clue whatsoever what could it be."  
Sheriff looked very tired at that moment.  
"If I find you anywhere except your bed and you won't be ready for school in the morning-"  
"You send hell on me and house arrest, understood."  
And then, after sheriff left, defeated and hoping his son would come to his senses tonight, Stiles turned to Danny.  
"So? Did I dismiss you from my list of suspects to quickly? That's why he was here?"  
Scott refused to believe it's more than a coincidence, Jenna remainded him he saw Danny react while darach was murdering who knew where. Isaac suggested to simply talk about it.  
"If you have to spy on your father, do it thoroughly at least. Inside, all of you."

"So what was it about?" Stiles asked once the door closed behind them. Danny first looked at the stairs whether Matt or Aurora didn't wake up and aren't curious, and then herded them into the living room. Jenna, Scott and Stiles weren't there for the first time, but Isaac looked around curiously. The interior looked as an usual interior. A couch, wooden table, two armchairs, bookshelf in the same color as the table by one wall, a window with window seat on the other one, a lot of plants. He noticed there's no TV and big painting dominated the wall against the couch. A yellow lego brick on the ground. And cat eyes lined by a big medical collar in the corner. Big cat nestled in a cat bed. Except her, very… unwitchy.  
"The last victim was my colleague. They needed his identification. That's why sheriff was here. He tried to call me before his death. But I left my phone in the car. Maybe he was already in trouble when I… doesn't matter. He tried to get help and… failed. I didn't hear it."  
"Why did he call you?"  
"If he saw something supernatural around him because of darach, he knew it's real. And knew what am I. Perhaps… he hoped I can do something."  
"So it's truly about healers. The next trio. Two in the process. A doctor from hospital disappeared. And a psychiatrist is healer too for darach. You are in danger, you and Melissa," Stiles noted.  
Healers. Third trio of victims. With new way of death for some reason. Melissa could truly be the target.  
"Then you have to watch her. Don't let her out of sight."  
"We'll take care of it," Scott nodded. "The three of us sleep home tonight. If nothing else, darach may be discouraged by so many people," he pointed at him, his sister and Isaac.  
"All right. I'll watch this house. ...no, Stiles, you are going home," she didn't let Stiles jump in when she noticed he's raising his hand.  
"But someone should guard it here too!" he objected. "Darach has reason to attack here."  
"And I have three reasons it's not you. First, with all due respect to your courage, I resist a magical attack better. Unlike Mlissa. Second, darach's aim is a ritual, not kill for sport or fight, so he'll probably go for easier target. Where he wouldn't expect a defiance. And third, you promised to sheriff. Really, don't worry him even about your safety while his town is falling apart."  
Stiles looked bit ashamed. It was the last thing he wanted, to make it worse for his father. It drove him crazy to see him blindly wander and not be able to help. He'd never believed him and even if he did, he couldn't report druid and give his subordinates silver bullets.  
"That sounds reasonable. You don't feel it, but everything here… tingles if you focus on it. Magically, I guess," Isaac again looked around. He didn't feel it at first. But the longer he stayed, the more he sensed it. Danny nodded.  
"If you aren't used to it, it can. There's a lot of magic here. Don't worry, it won't harm you, it's just your more sensitive sense. But… I need something from you Stiles anyway."  
Stiles frowned.  
"I need you to find names of murdered pack of alphas and any names connected to it. Maybe you won't be lucky, but it's worth the shot."  
"Why?" even Jenna wondered.  
"We took it from the wrong end. We should have never looked for records about darach. Druids didn't leave any writings and it couldn't lead as anywhere. We should have search for wider connections with descent into darkness. I realized that if I wanted to use black magic and similar rituals, I'd have to sell myself to the evil. Which is, according to Deaton, basically what darach did. Only it's not a witch but duid. Druid sold to evil… perhaps new in the town, changed recently and seeking revenge as we thought. Right now. When druids are often werewolf pack emissary."  
"You think darach used to be emissary of one of them?"  
She did. Deucalion's emissary was dead, she was sure. And now none of the old ones stayed with the alpha pack, they had new, inexperienced one as he confirmed, and he wanted her. It could be. Indeed, if she wanted to take revenge on the alpha pack, without a wolf of her own, she'd need to gather considerable power in a different way.  
"Maybe. It's just a shot in a dark. But if the dark is all around, it can be hit."

Danielle doubted darach would attack here. Maybe she wouldn't be able to defend herself ater all. However, he had easier pick among other healers in the town. In spite of it, she checked the locks before she went to bed, spilled mountain ash by the door to be on the safe side and spread a temporary spell leaving every step in the house boom in her head as a gunshot. She intended to sleep the shortest time possible. She couldn't afford not to sleep at all, so only few hours. Only she fell deeply asleep until a sharp twitch woke her up.  
Well, perhaps.

Her eyes had to be open. It was still night. She saw dark, the outlines of the small table below the window against her bed and the window itself. Nothing but black behind it. And… eyes. Two faintly shining eyes and dim, oddly fuzzy and ragged line around them. She wanted to move. But she couldn't. She couldn't turn her head, she couldn't hold her hand, she couldn't sit. As if she was glued to her bed. Or pressed by a ton plate. She desperately tried to make her body obey. Nothing. She was able only to stare at the strange face of a monster floating behind her window. Her heart pounded furiously. She felt danger. Imminence. She wanted to scream. But she wasn't able even blink!  
Stop, think. Think! This isn't normal. Are you awake? Truly awake? But you can't move? You know that. You know what it is. Sleep paralysis. Nothing more. Sure. Your brain is awake, your body asleep. The thing in the window… is it real? Half a dream? She stared into it's strange inhuman eyes and tried to convince herself she doesn't see it. There's nothing except the dark waiting for the dawn. Or isn't?  
It seemed the face was getting closer. And larger. Slowly filling the whole window. Clinging to the glass. Her bedroom darkened even more. As if even blacker shadows stretched along the walls. She felt it had to come through at any moment. She heard a feeble rustle.

Then she blinked. Broke the terrifying paralysis not leting her to fight against the gaze piercing into her head and suddenly she could jump out of bed.  
She run to the window.  
The face was gone. She opened it and looked out. The surroundings behind her house was calm, quiet and nothing moved there. No monster. No darach. It was a dream. She closed the window and run from the bedroom. She ignored the moth on the outside.

She listened to the sounds of her house. Tried to hear anything over the pounding of her heart. Was someone inside? Was it the magical alarm waking her up? Or was it whole a dream? The house was quiet too. Even Lynx didn't protest and slept probably. It had to be dream.  
She carefuly opened the door to Matt's room. He sprawled on his bed and calmly breathed. There were curtains pulled over his window. When Danielle peaked behid them, she saw nothing but darkened stillness of their street. As well as in Aurora's room.  
Then she returned to the corridor and looked in front of the house through window above the driveway. The one situated opposite the street lamp. Nobody on their permises. She was about to turn when her sight got to the place where she noticed to patrol Deucalion's werewolf Ennis few days ago. It was supposed to be empty. Ennis was dead. He allegedly died during the fight between packs in the old mall. But someone stood there.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hi, the Christmas is over, so I finally tried to overcome my laziness and finish this chapter. And I must say that Danielle Delgado truly is my alter ego. Even the ringtone from The Who is true, I use the same song from this band over 10 years now.**_

* * *

The rest of the night in McCall house was quite calm. Jenna slept on the couch for change and Scott and Isaac guarded Melissa upstairs. Nobody attacked her anyway and when she was preparing to go to work in the morning, she uncompromisingly sent all three of them to school. Saying that she'd be surrounded by too many people inside the hospital for anything to happen.

Somehow gloomier mood ruled in school, however. They barely got inside, Isaac with Jenna in her car and Scott on his bike, Isaac met Boyd and quickly disappeared again without an excuse. Or they perhaps did made some excuse while Jenna had to run to the bathroom where she tried to whitstand another seizure. So doctor Hilyard too. She truly didn't wish to diminish the suffering of the victims or the fact they died but this was driving her crazy. Not just listen to the noise, the grinding disturbance of natural magical flow, and know someone's dying, the sound itself. It actually wasn't even a sound. She tried to describe to Isaac yesterday that covering her ears was no help. He tried. He seemd really caring. But there was nothing for him to do, it wasn't about what she heard, it was inside her head. Or in her body more likely. She felt it through her own magical connection to the rest of the world and her brain transformed these negative perceptions to a hum and weird melody resounding with terrible gride in her. Moreover, they all realized even mister Harris wouldn't come back and truly was dead, because the chemistry class started with Jennifer Blake, the literature teacher, walking in. Jenna didn't like her much. She had no idea who used to teach literature before. Blake joined the school with the new school year as well as Jenna. And most students didn't find her unsympathetic per se. She wasn't unnecessarily strict, she demanded discipline during her classes but it was bearable, she clearly understood her subject. And she even wasn't the stereotypical librarian. She didn't wear thick glasses nor grey outdated cardigans, on the contrary, she liked skirts and heels. Only Jenna didn't really felt the charm. Something was odd on her. Her parfume most of all. It smelled strangely and whenever she found herself too close, it irritated her nose. But she never heard others to complain.  
However, whatever Jennifer Blake was, she wasn't chemistry expert, therefore this period seemed as total waste of time to Jenna. Blake tried to hand them some work left by late mister Harris but in the end, it changed into retake for literature. Jenna was bored. She didn't want to pursue literature, she intended to study… in fact, she wasn't sure yet, but chemistry looked more beneficial. On top of that, she was doing as well in chemistry as Lydia Martin, the living proof of the falsity of prejudices about stupid Barbies, although her school attendance in New Orleans suffered by the lack of parental supervision. She had certainly better results than Scott who couldn't stay focused even with substitute teacher. And he committed the worst offense committable in Blake's class eventually, his phone rang just before the end.

Therefore he run outside, which Blake allowed for once, probably glad the class she didn't understand was almost over, and Stiles and Jenna joined him a minute later.  
"We have to go to the animal clinic. Call your dad. It was Deaton, he's sure he's next."  
"What? How can he know?" Jenna wondered.  
"I don't know, he's druid too, maybe he can see the signs, he knows. Now, we don't have time!" Scott urged them and Stilles grabbed his phone. In situations like this, he acknowledged it's better to be safe than sorry. They couldn't lose doctor Deaton.  
"Let's go, your jeep, we have free period anyway," Scott didn't wait for Stiles to connect with sheriff and marched through the hallway.  
"Wait! I have physical chemistry now!" Jenna filled her schedule with several elective courses in the effort to occupy her mind with anything but Paul Hale and her family after her arrival to Beacon Hills so her days were a little busier than her brothers. Again, with courses interesting and useful enough for her. She only hoped some real science teacher and not Blake would come now.  
"Meet you here after!" Scott yelled at her and went out with Stiles on his heels. Jenna stayed in the hallway for a moment and then returned to the class. Her next period was supposed to be in the same one.

Doctor Deaton as the next victim? Next healer? Why not. He's a vet and nobody said helaers had to treat only people. And he wasn't treating only animals either. He used to be Hale pack emissary. Or Hale clan. She didn't know how many people outside their family had any idea about it. Most of those not belonging to any pack didn't even have to know about emissaries. Sometimes even most of the pack didn't know who's theirs. Who's their advisor guiding their power. Jenna probably also shouldn't know Hales emissary. Only Paul told her. Paul usually told her about everything eventually. He wasn't chatty, he could keep a secret, he was good alpha in such regards, but he couldn't keep his mouth shut in front of her even if he wanted. She simply pried a lot of him. And he knew his mother worked with beaconhills veterinary because he helped her with his treatment once. Exceptionally. She allegedly didn't need help in most cases. She allegedly was alpha, which other alphas were comming to. Very strong, very wise, very pretty, very reasonable. At least according to Paul and his childhood memories. Before the fire swallowed her and her power passed on her youngest son, who wasn't able to cope with it so well. He started to rely on Jenna a lot. So much actually, that he shared the power with her. He wasn't like Talia Hale, he wasn't able to wield it alone. And then it all passed on her. But nobody should wield it alone.

Jenna paced back and forth on the hallway after her last period and sat in an empty classroom in the end. She recieved message from Scott that he's on his way and another one from Isaac that they'd meet the alphas in Derek's loft where they prepared a trap. He didn't reveal what trap, but she had doubts for some reason all the same. When was the last time things run smoothly here? But the good sign was that even if Deaton went truly missing, he was still alive. Or he didn't die by darach's hand at least. She hoped it stays this way. She needed to talk to him. About the past, Hales, Paul and about her most of all. Once. As soon as possible. For now, she could talk about everything only with her aunt, but she, whatever she knew, still wasn't a werewolf. Still wasn't an emissary. And she couldn't give her a better advice than Deaton in this. She should have done it sooner, maybe she wouldn't have a chance anymore, but to tell him what happened, it was barely easier than to tell it directly to Derek.

The school was virtually empty. She took out her phone to ask Scott what took him so long. No answer. She got up and went to the door. Nobody was running outside, she didn't hear any voices, any usual chaos after the end of school. Anything else. She returned and looked out of the window. Nobody stayed outside the school, only some latecomer jumped into his car. And Stiles' jeep was on the parking lot! They had to be back already! She again run to the hallway. This time, she heard only voices and weak tapping from the opened door of the music classroom at the end.  
One of them belonged to her brother. The other one…

"-has something to do with Deaton's disappearence? You know what? If you manage to take my cane from me, I'll tell you where exactly he is. What you say?"  
Wait a moment, this… was Deucalion? But he didn't kidnap Deaton, they knew that clearly, how could he know where to find him? Did he try to test Scott? Was he playing with him? Jenna made few very quiet steps toward the classroom. She thought he'd notice her anyway or that he already did. Smell her, hear her heart, but she had to. She listened to Scott's quiet growl, fierce comment that he won't let him get away with hurting Deaton and few knocks. Scott apparently accepted his offer and tried to… what, defeat him? Hm, she didn't intend to underestimate him, only… Deucalion probably just provoked him. He wasn't ready for such ring at all yet.  
She quietly crept along the wall.  
"Impressive." She heard, despite Scott wasn't even close to snatch Deucalion's cane according to his amused tone. Of course. She was almost in the door. "But I'm not the one who slashes throats of innocents, prays to ancient gods or… harvests herbs or whatever are druids supposed to do. Who I am is a member of a pack who wants Derek dead. Kali mostly. You didn't succeed so you have a really difficult choice. Somebody is going to die tonight it seems. Derek or Deaton, it's up to you."  
So he truly wanted to provoke him. Make him to do something stupid.  
Jenna jumped inside. She had not even a heartbeat to look over the room and find out where Scott and Deucalion stand and she held the white cane in her hand at instant. She didn't think about it. She didn't plan. She simply stormed in while he stood above Scott with short knife he used to slash Ethan and Aiden few days ago.  
"How about neither? He doesn't have to choose with a pack. Or family."  
But Deucalion didn't seem so surprised. Could he hear her comming? Of course he could. But could he let her defeat him? She doubted that. Maybe he truly was too occupied by Scott. It was always easiest to attack while the others were occupied and didn't expect her. When they underestimated her. But he decisively turned to her and took his cane back. She didn't fight.  
"If the family lets the current guide them for once."

Jenna and Scott watched him to leave and didn't know what was his last remark supposed to mean. Jenna wondered for a moment whether would they be able to defeat him now if they both jumped on him together. Perhaps. On the other hand, in their classroom in the middle of the day? They would have to let him go again or kill him. Neither of this possibilities was good idea. She could imagine the headlines. Lunatic twins murdered helpless blind man. And worse. He had to realize that too. Maybe she didn't surprise him while occupied at all in the end. She remembered their first meeting, here in school. What was it he said? Wait, was it truly Scott who was tested now?

"Do you get it?"  
"No. And I don't believe he knows anything about Deaton."  
"So he truly disappeared?" Jenna made sure.  
"We came too late. Stiles's trying to find something with Lydia, he thinks she can sense something, we don't have time."  
Then Scott's phone rang.  
"And Allison maybe found helpful material… right, find Stiles, I'm going to her."  
"No, I think I'm going to the clinic."  
"Sheriff searched it, nothing's there. It was magical kidnapping anyway, I doubt… it's possible to find any trace in such case."  
"You never know. Stiles found some names Danny wanted but they are all dead and we won't identify any emissary among them. If we want to connect them with packs and druids, perhaps I'll find something," she opposed. She explained all three of them the last night what an emissary is and the theory of her aunt didn't seem implausible. It just didn't direct them to specific person yet. Or… darach.  
"Do you expect Deaton hiding such informations in the clinic or having it at all?"  
"Dunno," she shrugged. "I just risk it. I'm going with instincts, try it sometimes. You have your own bloody wolf."

"Lynx! Where's the cat?" Danielle had no time nor mood for searching for her Maine giant through the house. She just returned from Eichen House where doctor Fenris switched the rest of her today's shift and she wanted to take further steps after the last night's experience. The whole classified wing was naturally upside down because of Jenkins murder. Fenris launched the emergency mode until he can make sure it had no effect on any patient or none of them commited it, which basically meant lock everyone in their cells and rooms and he needed just skeleton staff for this. Moreover, she suspected he didn't really trusted her and the fact she shared her office with Jenkins didn't make him trust her more. He simply rather got rid of her for today.  
While Lynx wasn't in her bed or on her backrest where it was hard to get for her anyway. She still needed the big medical collar so she was also unable to hole up. She found her halfway behind the bookcase in the morning and if the collar didn't obstruct her, she'd have be hidden further away. She suspected why. Perhaps something truly happened at night, something terrifying even for a cat. For a cat looking like a Satan reincarnated. As her mamá said once during her visit. Jet black, longhaired, huge with piercing eyes and lion-like mane. Even though mamá said it with pride. She's always been one eccentric witch. Only now Lynx was gone and didn't come on call or serving the tuna can. An expensive can. She was, after all… simply spoiled. When she decided to go out, she happily massacred any sparrow, blood, feathers, guts. True beast of prey. But when she wasn't home alone, she always decided to act as palace lady, refused to touch your average cat food, even starved and followed Danny everywhere until she gave her what Lynx just now graciously accepted. During these episodes, she looked like she cursed Danny to the eternal hellfire. But after the lunch she was gladly warming up her lap and allowed her to scratch her ears. Now a quality tuna wasn't Lynx's concern.

Danny found her only after she run to her bedroom to change. Lynx sat on the floor, rolled her furry tail from side to side and stared intently on the window. She growled irritably.  
"What do you have there?" Danny noticed nothing behind the window and Lynx ignored her. She sat like on the waiting, like she found her prey. Seemingly invisible, yet she kept her eyes on it. Didn't react.  
Eventually Danny opened the window, perhaps to divert cat's gaze, and a big moth partly flew and partly fell inside. It flapped in the air for a while. Tried to take off, escape back outside, until Lynx jumped and, collar or no collar, clasped her teeth around it. Her landing was clumsy because of her injured paw, so she hissed with pain, but didn't let the moth go. She started to eat it.  
Danny watched the disgusting scene in front of her. Huge insects wings and part of a hairy body sticking out of a black snout with long whiskers. She didn't like insect. Especially big winged insect. Besides, moths were something… else. Lynx finally returned her look, almost as if she knew what was she thinking, while crushing the head and fat moth's body with her sharp teeth.  
Then a known song from The Who sounded.

"Hello?"  
Danielle was in no better mood for phone chat than for searching for a cat. Especially now.  
"Doctor Delgado? Elena García here, Aurora's teacher."  
Oh no. Another trouble? Aurora wasn't a difficult child. Nor dangerous one. Too small for them to know what'd she be. Danny was sometimes worried when they called her, that they'd tell her she bit someone. It was nonsense. She had no vampire teeth yet, if it was even supposed to happen, she had no such inclination and eventually, it always just was a contribution for crayons or similar trifle. She only sometimes talked little bit strangely, but it still could be attributed to her age. Small children talk silly and don't have to grasp the concepts of yesterday or next year accurately. Or she could tell them this. Who would argue about psychology with psychiatrist?  
"Yes? Something happened?"  
"Not really, but Aurora frightened some classmates with stories about a shredded bloodthirsty ghost in your house. Really vivid and very inappropriate stories. Other children don't like it. Honestly, neither do I. What she says is really disturbing for a child of her age, I'm afraid some of her classmates will have trouble with sleeping tonight. I don't know what movie did she watch but it clearly wasn't for kids."  
No. And it was no movie. Only Danny had no idea how did she saw it too. How… darach wasn't inside the house. Not really. Or was he? Surely not inside…?  
"I know for sure… she didn't see any such movie. She probably made it up, you know her imagination. Nothing happened here yesterday and she loves to make up stories."  
"Are you sure everything was all right?"  
Danny tried to quickly come up with something ridding her of the teacher. It wasn't all right if Aurora saw darach, but she hardly could tell her that. Oh, absolutelly, just a monster murdering law abiding citizens around hung upon my window, nothing to worry about!  
"Maybe… I was helping the police with current case, they came here because of it at night, maybe she woke up and it scared her. I'm sorry she's spooking other children."  
"I asked her to stop talking about it," Elena García finally decided not to ask anymore, even though she sounded unconvinced. "But have a talk at home, please."  
"Sure. Excuse me now, they call me to a patient."  
And Danny hung up with that. They didn't call her, she'd be very annoyed by all this any other day, but the doorbell rung anyway. The one at the gate. Danny went to the patio.

"Doctor Morell?" she addressed the incomer she briefly knew from Eichen House. Well from the public parts for common people where she worked as a therapist in her case, but definitely not enough for her to come visit. Most of the employees of the classified wing didn't really knew the rest. It was better to let the wing obscure. On top of that, Morell looked upset and scared.  
"I know I didn't notice you and I'm just here, but I need help. Quickly."  
Danny waited for the next part. She didn't decide yet whether to let her in. It wasn't the right time for a faith in anyone and this was far from courtesy call. Judging by the person and the timing.  
"My brother Alan Deaton disappeared. No, he was taken, as the next victim. He doesn't have much time. I know you know him. I know you won't let him die."  
"He's next? When?" So not Melissa. Not her, whether it was kidnapping attempt or anything else at night. A healer they didn't take in consideration.  
"Today, not much long ago. Scott's searching too, I told him to join Lydia Martin, she can sense supernatural, but she's new. I can't rely only on them. And the police won't find him at all. But you..."  
"Was it him who told you I can do it or someone else?"  
It occured to Danielle whether Deaton refered about her abilities or Morell walked in her brother's emissary steps. And was a new emissary for a new pack. Which the other woman confirmed after she realized what did Danny mean.  
"This is not for their service, they don't know I'm here. I want to save him."  
Danny watched her for a moment. She was desperate. She wanted to help her brother. And did much, much worse things in much, much worse service. Yet she was right. This wasn't about good and evil. She also rejected the idea to make her answer a lot of questions first, like whom and why did Deucalion keep sending to spy on her. It wasn't the right moment. The supernatural community asked for help.

Meanwhile Jenna departed for Deaton's clinic. The main entrance stayed sealed by police tape, but she found a back entrance. Unlocked. The police had to overlook it. Sheriff Stilinsky had to be completely overwhelmed and lost and the more desperate situation, the more details he could miss. Only she didn't feel much better. Stiles, on Danny's demand, found the investigation of Ennis' pack member's murder in old files – he obviously didn't find literally this, but deduced someone murdered Ennis' beta. Which wasn't the end, only all the names he connected to this period led to dead. Darach had to be someone else. Probably not from Ennis. They still stood on the start.

After she entered the empty consulting room, she tread quietly on the tiles and looked around. She didn't know what was she looking for. She even was here for the first time. She visited only once, the front desk, at the time nobody knew how deep in the supernatural world was she stuck. She tried to hear anything, but nothing except irregular clacking and that was just bored cockatiel in her cage with small metallic mirror. She slowly reached Deaton's office and sat on his chair. She looked around again. Glanced over the whole room, windows, ceiling, floor… she noticed something lying there. And when she went to it, she found big dead moth. She kicked it aside, she didn't really like winged insect, and sat back. Nothing suspicious. Truthfully, she didn't expect more. Something drew her there, but it had to be a different reason.  
Then she didn't tarry and opened drawers of Deaton's desk one by one. He probably wouldn't like it. At all. But he relied on her brother and she promised help. On top of it, he wanted to survive, didn't he? What's a small loss of privacy against that.  
Mainly, she didn't find anything private. Empty forms, office supplies, some invoices, she wasn't interested in them. Another one was hiding a bunch of leaflets, warranty certificates and manulas to the various equipment. On the shelves around, professional books, anatomical atlases, a lot of files with work records. He had no PC, perhaps he used only laptop. He didn't bring it here today or sheriff took it. She leaned into the chair, stretched her legs and tried to bring her instinct again. Her eyes had to catch something, she was here for a reason. But she only kicked something soft behind the desk instead. When she bent down, she discovered Deaton's spare shoes. Also not helpful. It's totally useless to know his shoe size. She put her hands on her knees and rested her forehead on a massive table top. Come on, where could he hide anything about supernatural? Werewolves? Druids?

Then she heard jangle from the room with cages. It startled Jenna so much she almost jumped and hit the bottom of the desk. It jumped too. Well… not the whole desk, a part of it? First, she quickly went back to find out what happened. Nothing out of usual, beside one dumbfounded cockatiel. She apparently tore off the mirror she played with. Then Jenna returned to the desk, bent again and looked at the bottom. It seemed ordinary in the shadow, but then she noticed thin grooves. And when she pressed again, a front edge moved slightly too. It had to be a hidden drawer, but it wasn't opening. Something blocked it. That had to be it. If Deaton didn't use it as a really stupid safe, informations not intended for public would be there.  
So she started to search the desk more and finally discovered inconspicuous lock on the back edge. No key naturally.  
She couldn't give up now. She closed her eyes and tried to recall. She went through the grimoire of her aunt several times, read a lot of spells, only she didn't try any by herself. Except the one with her aunt by the town border and it was more like a wave of he aunt's abilities carrying her. She also didn't remember words for unlocking spell. Could she manage without them? Danny said they weren't needed for simple spells. ...if she's experienced enough. Jenna wasn't. To her frustration, she found that she had no clue how intentionally gather magic inside her and make it an obedient servant. Therefore she did the second possible thing she was doing everytime something didn't work. She simply hit the desk again with much greater and less human strength and yanked the loose edge with her other hand. The drawer reluctantly ejected.

Danny nodded at Marin Morell to follow her to the house and led her to the kitchen joined with the living room into one big room. She wasn't about to take her into her workroom. Nobody was allowed there except her family. They were telling her since childhood about supernatural beings that trust must be earned and the rest would hardly believe it's simply strange winter garden. It was easier not to let them go there. Apart from the vent repairman she argued with for a month the last year until she made him to chase the necessary component and repair her broken filter, but even he forgot what he saw. She paid him, but he remained convinced he repaired her kitchen extractor hood.  
On the other hand, Morell didn't look like she cared where she was. She kept insisting to try to find her brother.  
"Do you have somthing belonging directly to him that nobody else uses?"  
Morell pulled men's lether glove out of her purse. It was fine and well-preserved. Quality. If Deaton survived, he'd be surely pissed. But she truly was prepared. Danny should perhaps gather what could Deucalion possibly remember and tell others about her abilities. She learned more since their not-really-brake-up, but even before she didn't belong among beginners.  
Then Danny reached for a copper bowl on one shelf and put the glove inside. She got a big map of Beacon Hills from a drawer in her bookcase and unfolded it on the table. It was detailed enough to clearly identify every street. A short knife at last. Then she put her hands above the bowl.

It caught fire after a moment. Just so. By itself. Ordinary on the first sight. Only with greater concentration it began to appear too red and clear. Also the glove burnt too quickly and suspiciously without smell. As it wasn't supposed to work naturally. The first part of searching spell.  
"Your hand."  
Morell hesitated but eventually reached to Danny. She took Morell's hand into her own and cut her quickly and deep, so blood immediatelly gushed into the fire. Then she let Morell's hand go. Flames darkened and intensified until they died out after few seconds and only small amount of scarlet-black fluid remained. It didn't look like ordinary ash either.  
Danny lifted the bowl, closed her eyes and poured its content on the map after a while of concentrating.  
Drops of blood mixed with ash fell all over the map and remained there for a moment. They didn't soak into a rigid and many times folded paper as expected, nor run along the scratches. Morell noticed they moved differently. Barely visibly at first, timidly, uncertainly, ostensibly without a purpose. Then they started to wander along the drawn lines of individual streets and coordinates, fused into bigger and bigger drops or pointers of the blood and life they searched and all of them headed towards the same point.  
Indeed.

"Wait for me in front of the house. He doesn't have to be alone there. Deucalion perhaps told you a lot about me but hardly the same about darach."  
Danny grabbed her car key and Morell left the house with her.  
"I… I'm sorry I gave him informations about you."  
Danny opened the door of her mitsubishi and looked at her. Of course she did. And he to Morell after. What was it that led her in? They were the same age. Morell perhaps a little bit younger. But she still didn't understand certain things.  
"You really have no idea what have you got yourself into..."

When Scott, Allison, Stiles, Lydia and even Cora Hale arrived to the clinic, they found Jenna bending above a map. She discovered it in Deaton's previously locked desk with hand-written notes, pouch of what had to be ash of mountain ash by smell and look, and silver knife. She left it in the drawer, they didn't need it and silver weapons among werewolves weren't safe. Even according to her own experience. Although, she did it only twice.

She still remembered the hilt. Only it was a dagger, not a knife. She remembered it as if she was still touching it. There were two runes on it. Sun below them. She took it as sunrise before. When the blade bit into her and then Paul's hand and was supposed to take them… well, definitelly to other place than this. Now the sun set. When she stabbed him with it.  
No, not him, it wasn't him, he has long been gone. More and more frequent outbursts, claws where word used to be enough. How many times did he tell her how he felt everyhting spiraling out of his hands. She felt it too. Anger, irritation, desire to attack, desire to run and not stop, run from everything annoying him. Then plunge teeth into the flesh of anyone who dared to resist him. Fear. Of getting lost. It was her fear too. And then, when he did get lost, when she barely tore him and one of his betas whom he almost killed apart, pain. His. Hers. Perhaps he let her do it. Live with the feeling of a knife penetrating into her heart.  
The dagger stayed there on the east too, she wanted never to see it again. It was more than enough to have it constantly in front of her. As well as red hands and lifeless body. He was too young for that, he took everything too quickly. She took the ride with him. Scott didn't know what it's like with somebody close. She didn't wish for him to find out.

So she unfolded the map with Deaton's notes and examined it. She also took the notepad with single note on the first page – nemeton – main crossroad.  
Nemeton? She didn't know the word. But she noticed several circled places on the map. Only no crossroads or places with visible meaning. Most of them were in the woods with no marked roads. She felt something's missing, some key or another document, but she didn't find any. If it existed, it could be in Deaton's home or just his head.  
She underestood more after the rest arrived.  
"It looks like we head in the right direction," Lydia noted after she observed Jenna's map.  
"Maybe. If the word nemeton doesn't ring any bell or you don't have any key, this map won't be much help."  
"No, but map of our own. Actually, we visited Danny in hospital and there was an essay about telluric currents assignment in his things. And this copy of a map."  
Stiles rummaged through his bag and pulled another map out.  
"Just he never got to it. They didn't reccomend it. Do you know who? Mister Harris."  
Which could mean nothing or everything, since mister Harris was one of darach's victims. Then Jenna realized more.  
"Currents? Like… Scott, Deucalion talked about it! That we should follow the currents! Show me. Where are the currents?"  
Stiles spread the map next to Deaton's one. And Allison joined them.  
"Perhaps that's not all. We found this map in my dad's desk. There are marked places where the bodies were found. But there are more than the number of dead people. I think he tried to estimate where are the next places."  
"Give it here. Get it together."  
Jenna took her found map and put it on the floor. The others joined her. Then Cora started to point at what they also noticed. The circled places, either by Deaton or Argent, matched the places with telluric currents according to Danny's source.  
"What if we put it over each other?" Jenna suggested.

They did exactly that. Places marked by Argent weren't the same as the ones marked by Deaton. Whatever nemeton was, it had nothing to do with Argent's presumptions, it wasn't a place for another murder. They both searched for different things. Yet, all of them were intersected by the strongest lines on the third map.  
"Look, the big currents goes under our house. And Danny's house," Scott noted.  
"Of course. Houses of witches, right? We can assume they use them. Telluric currents are supposed to be currents amplifying magical power according to mythology. Celts erected menhirs above them as ancient transmitters."  
"There are no menhirs here. We have to look for something different," Jenna interrupted Lydia. Their house, Danny's house, any transmitter or natural monument wasn't near the circled places. They were also very unlikely related to darach. But she found other following the strongest currents with her finger. Then Stiles' finger joined her. He noticed too. They were supposed to let the currents guide them. That's why Deucalion was at school. He was testing Scott, testing her, but also wanted to give them a hint. He had nothing to do with the kidnapping, but what if the theory about vengeful emissary is true and he knew it? So he sent them here. What if he's afraid too?  
"That's it… see? There's a pattern. From the first victim to the last, and if we continue..." Stiles' and Jenna's finger pointed at the same place. "Deaton is here."  
Stiles and Jenna pointed at a bank. Marked by Chris Argent. Standing on a strong magical current. Where Cora and Boyd were losing their minds for several weeks.

"Let's go," Scott jumped up but Cora looked at her phone and cursed.  
"Fuck. I have to go to Derek. Boyd's texting, the plan failed. I won't let the alphas kill him!"  
Jenna looked at her brother. Deucalion… was right with this too?  
"All right, go to him. I'll find Deaton."  
Jenna opened her mouth to tell him she couldn't let him run alone into darach's arms, but Scott interrupted her.  
"You said so yourself. I don't choose. Help him. We won't let neither of them die."

Danny sharply stopped in front of the bank. Another car stood there already, but she didn't hear anything from inside or the near vicinity. Although she didn't bother with listening. Or locking up. Once she get out of her car, she run into a dark, empty building where her every step echoed hollowly.

"Shit, which fuses are yours?!" Stiles and Lydia arrived first, but as the rest saw soon after, they couldn't get into Derek's loft. Electricity was out in the whole building, which was the reason the plan to defeat alphas failed. According to Cora, they wanted to flood the floor and switch the electricity, but… how else could it turn out? Jenna wasn't surprised. Did they still have time to do something? Stiles tried to find the right fuse to start it again and all of them hoped there's no cut cable.

The silence weighed on Danny also inside the bank, interrupted only by her steps and breath. She didn't realize how huge were the empty spaces, nor did she know where to go. But she didn't think about it and headed on along one long corridor. Her instincts had to lead her. She felt there's no time. Deaton still lived. But the last minutes were ticking.  
Then she finally heard another steps and scramble from somewhere in front of her. And then, after turning left, saw a figure in uniform entering one of many doors.

Stiles switched the right fuse with Cora's help eventually and lights came on. The locks unlocked too and they were free to run upstairs. Jenna sincerely hoped they are not late. That alphas didn't manage to kill Derek.  
She'd never been here, so she just followed the rest, the stairs, corridor, after that a huge sliding door that Cora flung open.  
Don't let them be late. Don't let him be dead. If someone is dead, let it be the crazy alpha.

At the moment she was almost at the opened door, she heard a gunshot up close. It echoed nastily through the empty spaces and deafened her for a while. The final three meters suddenly felt like forcing her way through aquarium closed from all sides, while the world passed around outside by tremendous speed. She couldn't afford to stop, anything could await her. But when she finally reached the door frame, she noticed a body touching the floor while sheriff stood in front of her with pointed gun. She realized, even in this short heartbeat, there's still life throbbing in him. They found him in time.

Cora burst in the loft and squelched to the kneeling figure. Water was spilled all over the floor, lights inside were off and alphas long gone. Jenna didn't feel them there. She didn't feel fight or anger. But she felt something different. Death passing her with a fresh catch. They came too late.


End file.
